Justin Nystrom

Dr. Justin Nystrom is the Rev. James J. Pillar, O.M.I. Distinguished Professor in the Department of History at Loyola University New Orleans. He serves as Chair of the Department of History and founded the Documentary and Oral History Studio in 2012, overseeing over 100 interviews with diverse New Orleans figures. He previously directed Loyola’s Center for the Study of New Orleans (2012–2019).

• Ph.D. in History, University of Georgia (2004)
• M.A. in History, University of Georgia (2000)
• B.A. in History, Kennesaw State University (1994)

His research focuses on Southern history, New Orleans, Civil War/Reconstruction, and foodways, blending academic rigor with documentary storytelling. He is currently exploring food culture transformation in 1980s America and Brexit-era Britain.

His publications include two monographs: Creole Italian (2018) and New Orleans after the Civil War (2010). Articles span topics like labor history, racial identity, and cultural resistance in the urban South.

Scientific Awards:

• 2019 James Beard Foundation Award nomination (Scholarship and Reference)

Nystrom teaches courses on Southern history, Civil War, New Orleans history, foodways, and documentary methods. He actively trains students in oral history and interdisciplinary research through Loyola’s Documentary and Oral History Studio.

The Documentary and Oral History Studio, under his direction, has become a key resource for preserving New Orleans’ cultural heritage through filmed interviews and transcriptions with restaurateurs, musicians, laborers, and political figures.