Lisa Goff

Lisa Goff is an Associate Professor of English and American Studies at the University of Virginia's College of Arts and Sciences, holding a joint appointment in the Department of English. She also serves as the Director of UVA's Institute for Public History, where she leads initiatives in public history and community engagement. Her academic home is within the Department of English, and she is based in Bryan Hall.

Dr. Goff's educational background includes a BA with Honors in English Literature from the College of William and Mary, an MSJ from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Virginia.

Her research centers on cultural history, landscape studies, migration, public history, and point-of-view journalism. She investigates how material culture and built environments reflect social dynamics, particularly for working-class and African American communities. Her acclaimed book Shantytown, USA reinterprets shantytowns as contested spaces that shaped American class identity from 1820 to 1940.

Recent publications demonstrate her focus on the intersection of historical scholarship and contemporary social justice. Articles address Confederate monument removals, preservation of Black landscapes against infrastructure projects, and mill village architecture, highlighting her commitment to using history to inform present-day debates on race, memory, and space.

Dr. Goff's scholarly contributions have been recognized with several honors:

• CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title (2016) for Shantytown, USA
• Public Service Award from the University of Virginia (2023)
• Monticello Dinner Series Participant, Seven Society (2023)

Her grant funding reflects a strong commitment to inclusive scholarship and community partnerships. Notable awards include multiple Diversity and Inclusion Grants from the College of Arts and Sciences (2018-2024), three Cavaliers Research Awards from the Office of the Vice President for Research (2018-2023), and a Karsh Institute Working Group Grant for "Home Places: Mapping Black Virginia" (2023-2024). She was also nominated for the Whiting Foundation Public Engagement Fellowship in 2018.

As Director of the Institute for Public History, Dr. Goff oversees significant digital projects including "TakeBack the Archive" (a digital archive on sexual violence history at UVA) and "Finding Virginia’s Freetowns" (a mapping initiative of Reconstruction-era Black settlements). These projects foster collaboration between students, faculty, and community stakeholders to produce publicly accessible historical resources.