Anya Jabour

Anya Jabour is a Regents Professor of History at the University of Montana, where she has taught since earning her Ph.D. from Rice University in 1995. She specializes in U.S. women’s history, family history, and southern history. Her research explores topics such as maternalism, women’s suffrage, and LGBTQ+ contributions to social movements. Jabour has authored multiple books, including Sophonisba Breckinridge and Katharine Bement Davis, and has been recognized with prestigious awards like the 2016 Regents Professor title, the highest rank in the Montana University System.

• Education: Ph.D. in History from Rice University (1995)
• Roles: Past co-director of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program; historical advisor for PBS's Mercy Street.

Her research interests include redefining motherhood, sexual history, and the intersection of gender and politics. Jabour’s work challenges narrow definitions of motherhood and highlights the contributions of historically marginalized figures like Katharine Bement Davis, a pioneer in sex research and prison reform.

Her articles analyze issues such as the historical role of childless activists in shaping policy and the evolution of attitudes toward female sexuality. She has also written extensively on lesbian leadership within the suffrage movement, emphasizing inclusivity and social justice.