Layla Smallwood

Layla Smallwood is an Adjunct Professor of History at Cumberland University, affiliated with The Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education and the Arts. She holds a B.S. in History from Tennessee Technological University, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Public History at MTSU. Her professional interests center on historic preservation, community heritage initiatives, and social studies education outreach. Research focuses include modern-era monuments and commemoration practices related to genocide. She has prior teaching experience in high school and middle school social studies in Nashville and Lebanon, Tennessee.

Her educational background combines practical teaching expertise with advanced historical scholarship, particularly in public history applications. While no formal grants or awards are noted, her work bridges academic research with community engagement through heritage projects and educational programs.