David Cunningham

David Cunningham is a Professor of Sociology at Washington University in St. Louis and former Chair of the Department of Sociology. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on racial contention, white supremacist movements, legacies of racial violence, and contested public memory. Cunningham’s work bridges academia and public engagement, including roles on truth and reconciliation commissions, the St. Louis Reparations Commission, and prison education initiatives.

Education:

• Ph.D., Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2000)
• M.A., Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1996)
• B.S. in Civil Engineering and B.A. in English, University of Connecticut (1993), Magna cum laude

Research Interests: Cunningham investigates the causes and consequences of racial violence, the historical and contemporary dynamics of white supremacist groups, and how legacies of inequality shape modern society. His work extends to public memorials, Confederate monuments, and transitional justice processes. Notable projects include studies supported by the Mellon and McDonnell Foundations on racial terror lynching narratives and commemorative landscapes.

Awards & Grants:

• Recipient of the Robin M. Williams Jr. Award (2019)
• Mellon Foundation grant for research on racialized terror narratives (2023–2025)
• James S. McDonnell Foundation grant on commemorative landscapes (2023–2024)

Public Engagement: Cunningham serves on the City of St. Louis Reparations Commission and is a key figure in initiatives addressing historical injustices, including the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Washington University’s Prison Education Project. His research informs policy debates on racial equity, memory, and reconciliation.

Labs/Teams: Leads collaborations such as the StudioLab: Freedom | Information | Acts (Mellon-funded interdisciplinary initiative) and the Action Research Lab with Northeastern Law School.