Laura E Free

Laura E. Free is Associate Professor of History at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she has been a faculty member since 2005. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Cornell University and an M.A. from Binghamton University, with a B.A. from Grinnell College.

• Institution: Hobart and William Smith Colleges
• School: School of Humanities
• Department: Department of History
• Academic Rank: Associate Professor

Her research and teaching focus on 19th-century U.S. history, particularly the intersections of gender, race, and politics. Her work explores how political language shaped identity and citizenship during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.

Her scholarship includes the influential book Suffrage Reconstructed, which analyzes the constitutional gendering of citizenship through the 14th Amendment. The publication reflects her deep engagement with political discourse, suffrage movements, and racial dynamics in American history. Her work bridges legal, political, and social history with gender studies.

Laura Free is affiliated with the American Historical Association and the Organization of American Historians, underscoring her active participation in the historical profession.

She has advised students and taught courses such as Women in American History, Civil War and Reconstruction, and The History of Stuff, demonstrating a commitment to both specialized and broadly accessible historical education.

Her research continues to contribute to national conversations on democracy, inclusion, and constitutional development in the United States.