Craig Thompson Friend

Craig Thompson Friend is a Professor of History and Public History at North Carolina State University (NC State), located in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He has held academic roles at NC State since 2005, including Director of Public History (2005–2018), and previously served as an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida (2000–2005) and Georgetown College (1994–2000). He is currently on leave for the 2025–2026 academic year but remains accessible via email.

Friend earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Kentucky (1995), advised by Theda Perdue, following an M.A. from Clemson University (1990) and a B.A. from Wake Forest University (1983). His research focuses on the early American republic, Old South, gender and masculinity studies, death culture, and public memory. He has been funded by prestigious organizations like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Gilder Lehrman Institute. His work emphasizes marginalized voices, particularly in African American and Native American histories.

His research interests are deeply interdisciplinary, blending historical analysis with public engagement. In public history, he explores commemoration practices, family/community history, and the evolution of public history as a discipline. He has published widely on topics like Southern genealogies, slavery, and material culture. Notable awards include the NCSU Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Professor (2019) and the Kentucky Governor’s Award for Kentucke’s Frontiers (2011). His articles and book reviews reflect a commitment to reinterpreting Southern narratives and challenging traditional historiographies.

Friend advises graduate students in American and Public History, focusing on the Revolutionary to Civil War eras, and has mentored over 20 MA and PhD theses. His service extends to university committees, professional organizations like the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic (SHEAR), and community initiatives such as the City of Raleigh’s Historic Resources Program. He also actively participates in educational outreach and equity initiatives, including leading workshops on diversity and inclusive teaching.

Friend’s professional contributions include editorial roles for journals like Journal of the Early Republic and Florida Historical Quarterly, as well as series editorships. He has collaborated on projects with museums, historical societies, and public agencies, ensuring historical scholarship reaches broader audiences. His current book projects address genealogical histories, Southern death culture, and masculinity in the early republic.