Libra Hilde

Libra Hilde is a full-time Professor and Chair at the Department of History within the College of Social Sciences at San José State University. Her research focuses on slavery, the history of the U.S. South, gender, and the socio-political impacts of Civil War mortality. She utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data in her work, including census reports, widows' pension applications, diaries, and letters.

• Research Interests: Slavery, U.S. South history, gender roles, Civil War demographics, Reconstruction, race relations, and masculinity.
• Contact: libra.hilde@sjsu.edu
• ORCID: 0000-0003-4654-9659

Her recent book on slavery and fatherhood challenges stereotypes of African American families and black masculinity, while her ongoing work examines post-Civil War societal transformations. These include shifts in marriage patterns, regional migration, and evolving gender roles tied to high mortality rates in the U.S. South.