Shelby Crosby

Shelby Crosby is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of African American Literature at the University of Memphis's Department of English. She holds a B.A. from Morehead State University (1997), M.A. (2002), and Ph.D. (2007) from SUNY Buffalo. Her research focuses on 19th-century literature, Afrofuturism, Black womanhood, and critical race theory. Currently, she is working on a book manuscript titled Conversations with My Kindred, blending literary nonfiction with cultural critique to examine health crises, kinship, and community development.

Her work interrogates American national narratives through intersectional frameworks, emphasizing the intersections of race, gender, and power. Notable publications include explorations of Octavia Butler’s religious ideologies, Zora Neale Hurston’s journalism, and analyses of Afrofuturist themes across literary eras.

Dr. Crosby’s research bridges historical analysis and contemporary issues, with a focus on marginalized voices in literature. She has contributed to journals like CLA Journal and co-edited volumes on speculative fiction and feminist theory. Her office is located in Patterson Hall 423.