Justin Smith

Dr. Justin Smith is an Assistant Professor of English and Black Studies at Randolph-Macon College. He earned his PhD in English from The Pennsylvania State University in 2023, an MA in English from Penn State in 2019, and a BA in English and Creative Writing from Canisius College in 2017.

His research focuses on late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century African American literature, emphasizing critical race theory, Black radical tradition, and digital humanities. He collaborates with the Center for Black Digital Research and the Library of Congress on crowdsourcing projects.

Recent publications highlight trends in African American literary studies, queer theory, digital archiving, and intersectional analysis. Key subfields include Black modernism, asexuality in literature, and virtual community building.

• Armour/DuPont/Cabell Endowment (2025)
• Walter Williams Craigie Teaching Endowment (2024)

Dr. Smith teaches courses such as Intro to African American Literature, African American Science Fiction, and Black Modernism. He has received grants for his teaching and archival work. His forthcoming monograph, Racial Stylings: Black Identity from Realist to Modernist African American Literature, explores the relationship between literary style and racial meaning.