Patricia A. Schechter

Patricia A. Schechter is a Professor of History at Portland State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her work bridges women’s history, public history, and transnational history, with a focus on labor movements, colonialism, and feminist historiography. She has published extensively on topics ranging from Ida B. Wells-Barnett’s activism to the social dynamics of Andalusian mining towns.

• PhD in History from Princeton University

Her research explores:

• Industrial labor and community integration in Spain
• Decolonial theory in feminist and transnational contexts
• Oral history and public memory projects
• Gender and racial justice in American reform movements

Recent publications include El Terrible: Life and Labor in Pueblonuevo, 1887-1939 (2024) and studies on Oklahoma statehood narratives. Her work often intersects:

• Local history with global themes
• Gender analysis with anti-imperialist frameworks
• Public engagement through exhibitions and oral history

Scientific awards:

• Keller-Sierra Book Prize
• ACRL Choice Award
• Oral History Association Recognition

Patricia teaches courses including:

• Women and Gender in America
• Transnationalism
• Public History Lab