Wendy Toon

Dr. Wendy Toon is a Senior Lecturer in American History at the University of Worcester, affiliated with the Institute of Arts and Humanities and the Department of History, Politics and Sociology. She previously held roles at Staffordshire University and Keele University, and was a Royal Historical Society Fellow (Peter Marshall Fellowship) at the Institute of Historical Research. Her work focuses on modern U.S. history, particularly WWII propaganda, sports history, and women’s roles in war.

Her research explores themes like American constructions of enemies during WWII, the cultural impact of sports, and women’s activism. She is currently writing a book on American depictions of German and Japanese adversaries during WWII (Routledge, forthcoming). Recent research includes a conference and exhibition on pro- and anti-war voices, combining oral histories and archival research.

Awards: Royal Historical Society Peter Marshall Fellowship.
Grants: Supported by institutions including the Rockefeller Foundation, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, and the Truman Library Institute.

Dr. Toon has supervised numerous research students, including studies on Japanese American incarceration, WWII antiwar groups, and media portrayals of family life. She organized the Women’s History Network Midlands conferences (2010–2021) on topics like military women, suffrage, and sports, and co-chaired the 2024 Worcestershire Historical Society conference on local history.