Leslie Wingard

Leslie Wingard is Dean for Faculty Development and Professor of English at The College of Wooster. Her research explores intersections of African American literature, black visual culture, religion, ethnic studies, and women’s and gender studies. She teaches courses on Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, African American literature surveys, and religion in film and literature.

• B.A., Spelman College (1999)
• M.A., Ph.D., UCLA (2002, 2006)

Wingard’s work examines how religious themes shape African American literary and cinematic traditions, focusing on sacred/secular dynamics, political aesthetics, and marginalized identities. She has contributed to interdisciplinary dialogues on Christianity, race, and gender in American culture.

Her publications include analyses of Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, and James Baldwin, alongside reviews and reference materials on black art and religion. Awards include NEH Seminar participation and fellowships at Williams College, Princeton, and Haverford.

• NEH Seminar on Religion and Secularism (2019)
• Alfred Appel, Jr. Curatorial Fellow (2018)
• Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow (Williams College)
• Princeton Research Fellow
• Haverford Research Fellow