Laura Hooton

Laura Hooton is an Assistant Professor of History at New Mexico State University (NMSU), specializing in race, ethnicity, and social movements with a focus on African Americans in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. She holds a Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara (2018) and has taught at Angelo State University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Her research includes Little Liberia, an African American agricultural community in Baja California, and co-authorship of Almost All Aliens, a foundational text on U.S. immigration history.

Her academic career includes fellowships at the Clements Center (SMU) and West Point, where she launched the Black History Project. She has received teaching awards at UCSB and West Point, and advises academic clubs like the History Society at Angelo State. Her work bridges interdisciplinary frameworks, incorporating oral history, digital resources, and public engagement in education.

Laura’s research emphasizes transnational connections, anti-racist movements, and the intersection of race, migration, and colonialism. Current projects include a monograph on Little Liberia (under contract with OU Press) and expanding public history initiatives through collaborations with museums and consulates.