Anthony P. Mora

Anthony P. Mora is an Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Department of American Culture and the Department of History at the University of Michigan. He holds courtesy appointments in Latina/o Studies and is affiliated with the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS). Mora earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Notre Dame (2002). His research focuses on the historical construction of race, gender, and sexuality in the U.S., with emphasis on Mexican-American and Latina/o histories. He has explored topics such as 19th-century border ideologies, African American-Mexican American relations in the urban Midwest, and the cultural symbolism of the Zorro character. Mora has served on Michigan’s Rackham Humanities Diversity Committee and the National Latina/o Studies Association’s Executive Council. He previously taught at Texas A&M University and was a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Education: Ph.D., University of Notre Dame, 2002.

Research Interests: Mora’s current projects include analyzing the intersectional dynamics between African Americans and Mexican Americans in early-20th-century urban centers and tracing the evolving cultural significance of Zorro as a symbol of Mexican-American identity. His work bridges historical scholarship with popular culture, examining how narratives shape historical memory and regional identities. He has written extensively on border studies, sexuality in U.S. culture, and the socio-political dimensions of race and ethnicity.

Awards: Mora has received notable recognitions, including the Woodrow Wilson Junior Faculty Fellowship (2010-2011), the LSA’s Individual Award for Excellence in Race & Ethnicity Education (2019), and the University of Michigan’s Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award (2017).

Teaching & Service: Mora teaches courses on Mexican American history, Latina/o studies, the history of sexuality, and the U.S. West. He is committed to diversity initiatives and has held administrative roles within his departments. His courses, such as Sex and Sexuality in U.S. Popular Culture and History of the U.S. West, reflect his interdisciplinary approach to historical analysis.

Labs/Teams: Active in cross-disciplinary collaborations, Mora contributes to the University of Michigan’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies programs and maintains ties with national academic associations.