Brenda Stevenson

Brenda Stevenson is Professor of History at UCLA and inaugural Nickoll Family Endowed Chair, specializing in African American history, slavery, gender, and family structures. Her research examines racial conflict and community formation through award-winning publications like The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins and Life in Black and White. She served as Chair of UCLA's History and African American Studies departments and has directed 20+ doctoral students.

Research interests focus on comparative historical experiences of women and community across racial lines. Her work shows how race and gender intersect to shape identity and conflict. Current projects investigate Levantine merchant communities' cultural impact in the Ottoman Empire.

Awards include Guggenheim and Ford Foundation fellowships, the James Rawley Prize, and Ida B. Wells Award for Bravery in Journalism. Her research has been supported by Mellon Foundation, ACLS, and National Humanities Center.

Grants & Fellowships:

• Guggenheim Fellowship (2015-2016)
• ACLS Fellowship (2019)
• Ford Foundation Grant (2012-2014)

Advising: Mentored 15+ PhD students now holding faculty positions nationwide. Leads research assistants in archival projects on slave narratives and community formation.