Visiting Assistant Professor Of African American History

Job Title:

Visiting Assistant Professor of African American History

Department:

History

Job Description:

The Department of History and the Africana Studies Program at Rhodes College invites applications for a two-year Visiting Assistant Professor of African American History on a 12-month contract, to begin August 2024.

The College recently received a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create an Institute for Race and Social Transformation that supports scholarship and teaching around issues of race and injustice in Memphis and the Mid-South region. The successful candidate will collaborate with Rhodes faculty and students as the Coordinator of the Neighborhood Narratives Project (NNP) as follows:

• Assist in the development of oral history projects for the NNP.

• Coordinate and conduct interviews and catalogue oral histories.

• Train undergraduate students in oral history.

• Support initiatives sponsored by the NNP.

• Serve as a liaison between the Institute and community partners.

Qualified candidates must be trained in oral history. Preference will be given to candidates who have research interests in Memphis, the Mid-South region, or the American South.

The successful candidate must demonstrate a firm commitment to teaching and scholarship at a liberal arts college and will be expected to mentor undergraduates research fellows. Candidates must have completed all requirements for a Ph.D. in History, Africana Studies, or a related field by August 2024.

Teaching and research will be supported by the Mellon grant for at least two years. Teaching responsibilities will include two courses a year related to the work of the Institute.

One of these courses will be in oral history. Possibilities for additional research support include summer research funds and travel funds. Collaborative teaching and research opportunities exist with several departments and interdisciplinary programs, including Anthropology and Sociology, Art and Art History, Educational Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Music, Religious Studies, and Urban Studies.

Rhodes is a nationally ranked residential college committed to the liberal arts and sciences. Our highest priorities are intellectual engagement, service to others, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and honor among ourselves. Our students live and learn on one of the country's most beautiful campuses, located in the heart of Memphis, an economic, medical, and culturally diverse center, making Rhodes one of a handful of prominent liberal arts colleges in a major metropolitan area.

Rhodes College prides itself on being a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming environment. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and anti-discrimination.

A complete application will include 1) a cover letter that addresses the strengths the candidate will bring as a teacher and scholar to a liberal arts college environment; 2) a curriculum vitae; 3) a separate statement that addresses how the candidate's experiences with teaching, scholarship, and/or service will contribute to a college community that includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion as one of its core values.

Review of completed applications will begin February 15, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. Candidates from backgrounds typically underrepresented in higher education are strongly encouraged to apply.

Letters of recommendation will only be solicited for short-listed applicants, at which time you will be prompted for the names and contact information for three (3) references. Background checks are required before candidates can be brought to campus for interviews.