Christy L Pichichero

Overview

Dr. Christy L Pichichero is an Associate Professor of History, French, and African and African American Studies at George Mason University (GMU). She holds joint appointments across multiple departments and is affiliated with the Women and Gender Studies and War and the Military in Society programs. Her research bridges early modern European history with critical race studies, focusing on slavery, diaspora, and the intersection of war and culture.

Education

• B.A. Comparative Literature, Princeton University
• B.M. Voice and Opera, Eastman School of Music
• Ph.D. French Studies, Stanford University

Research & Awards

Recipient of the 2021 Presidential Medal for DEI Excellence and a leading scholar in military Enlightenment studies, her book *The Military Enlightenment* (Cornell, 2017) redefined understandings of warfare and humanitarianism in the French Empire. Current projects include experimental biographies of Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de Saint-George) and African diasporic identities in the slave trade era.

DEI Leadership

Director of Faculty Diversity in GMU’s College of Humanities, co-chair of the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force, and national thought-leader in DEI strategies for academia. Pioneered Stanford’s DARE program for diverse PhD candidates and developed influential video series on faculty diversity.

Media Presence

Featured in *PMLA*, *NBC News*, *NPR*, and *C-SPAN*. Recent interviews address racial gaslighting, DEI in higher education, and historical memory projects.