Mary Dillard

Mary Dillard is a Professor of History at Sarah Lawrence College, where she has served on the faculty since 2001. She specializes in African historical studies and women's history, with significant contributions to public history initiatives in Yonkers, New York.

Her research focuses on West African social history, the history of science in Africa, and gendered perspectives on health care and education. She has developed innovative courses including Public Stories, Private Lives: Methods of Oral History and The Power of Place: Museums, Monuments, and Public History in Yonkers, which engages students in creating community-based historical installations.

Dillard holds a BA from Stanford University and MA/PhD from UCLA, with additional fellowship training at Columbia University. She previously directed Sarah Lawrence's Graduate MA Program in Women's History from 2016-2021 and has received research support from the Spencer Foundation and National Endowment for Humanities.

• Commissioner, Yonkers Human Rights Commission (2023-present)
• Member, Revolutionary Yonkers 250 Committee (2025)
• Former Director, SLC Graduate Women's History Program (2016-2021)
• Member, College's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Her community engagement bridges academic work with practical human rights advocacy, particularly in housing and education equity. She collaborates with local institutions including the Hudson River Museum and Yonkers Public Library to develop public history projects that connect campus learning with community heritage.