David Goldberg

David Goldberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies at Wayne State University and Interim Director of the Crockett-Lumumba Scholars program. He holds affiliations with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and focuses on Black labor history, urban activism, and social movements. His research explores intersections between Black working-class struggles and systemic racism in institutions like labor unions and municipalities.

Education:

• B.A. in African American Studies and History, Eastern Michigan University (1996)
• M.A. in African Diaporic History, Morgan State University (1998)
• M.A. in African American Studies, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2003)
• Ph.D. in African American Studies, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2006)

Research Interests: Goldberg specializes in Black Detroit’s radical movements, including the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM) and the League of Revolutionary Black Workers. He examines how grassroots activism shaped affirmative action policies and combatted racial inequities in labor and urban spaces. Current projects include a political biography of General Gordon Baker and an edited collection of his writings.

Awards & Grants:

• Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2006-2007)
• President's Urban Research Enhancement Grant (2009-2010)
• Humanities Center Summer Research Fellow (2010)
• NEH/Mellon Foundation Scholar-in-Residency (2012-2013)

Advising & Labs: Goldberg advises through his research on Black labor and urban history. He collaborates with the Crockett-Lumumba Scholars program to foster academic and community engagement. His courses include Black Detroit history and Black social/political thought, emphasizing local activism’s global impact.