Trevor R. Getz

Trevor R. Getz is a Professor of African and World History at San Francisco State University. His research focuses on history education, particularly world history, and the social history of Africa. He has authored or co-authored 11 books, including Abina and the Important Men, which won the 2014 James Harvey Robinson Prize. His work has been published by prestigious academic presses and journals.

• Education: PhD (2000) from University of London/SOAS, MA (1997) from University of Cape Town, BA (1995) from UC Berkeley.
• Professional Roles: Editorial board member of the Journal of West African History, former Academic Senate Chair, and advisor for Open Network World History.

Research interests span gender, colonialism, slaving relationships, and community-engaged methodologies. He has held visiting professorships at Stanford and UC Berkeley. Notable awards include the 2020 American Historical Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

Publications include Slavery and Reform in West Africa (2004), Abina and the Important Men (2011), and African World Histories (2012). His films, including the award-winning Abina and the Important Men, blend historical scholarship with multimedia storytelling.