Bobby J. Donaldson

Bobby J. Donaldson is Associate Professor of History at the University of South Carolina's McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. He directs the Center for Civil Rights History and Research and leads the documentary initiative 'Columbia SC 63: Our Story Matters,' documenting civil rights struggles in Columbia. His research examines African American intellectual history, southern culture, and civil rights movements.

Research focuses on African American life in the 19th-20th century South, including print culture, religious institutions, and educational activism. Current projects include a monograph on New Negro intellectuals and a biography of Morehouse College founder William Jefferson White. Publications analyze Cherokee cultural landscapes, ceremonial practices, and architectural symbolism.

Honors include the Social Justice Award (2016), Teaching Award (2010), and Hennig Prize for community documentation work. He previously served as Faculty Principal of Preston Residential College and holds affiliations with Wesleyan University as trustee emeritus.