Paul Devlin

Dr. Paul Devlin is the Department Head and Associate Professor of Humanities at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). He specializes in African American literature and culture, with expertise in Literary Modernism, multi-ethnic American literature, and media/jazz studies. His work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary themes like film, music, and visual arts.

• Education: Ph.D. in English (Stony Brook University), M.A. and B.A. in English (St. John’s University)

Research focuses on African American intellectual history, jazz aesthetics, and cultural criticism. He has edited major works including Ralph Ellison in Context (Cambridge UP, 2021) and co-edited Library of America volumes on Albert Murray. His writing appears in peer-reviewed journals and outlets like The New York Times Book Review and Bomb Magazine.

Consultant roles include Jazz at Lincoln Center and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. He served on the MLA’s Committee on Literatures of People of Color (2016–2019) and is book review editor for African American Review.