Melissa Ford

Melissa Ford is an Associate Professor of History at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. She is a scholar specializing in Black Radicalism, Black Women's History, the Black Midwest, and Labor History.

Dr. Ford received her PhD in American Studies from Saint Louis University and her BA in Political Science and Philosophy from Wellesley College. A fifth-generation Midwesterner born in St. Louis, she brings deep personal and academic knowledge to her research on the American Midwest.

Her research focuses on the rich tradition of Black radical activism in the Midwest, particularly during the Great Depression. Dr. Ford challenges the misconception that the Midwest is conservative and quiet, revealing instead a vibrant history of Black women's activism around issues like hunger, unemployment, and social justice. Her work connects historical struggles to contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter.

Dr. Ford's publications have received significant recognition, including being a Finalist for the 2023 Pauli Murray Book Prize in Black Intellectual History and winning the 2023 Illinois State Historical Society Certificate of Excellence in "Books, Scholarly."

She has been featured in numerous interviews and media coverage, including the Heartland History podcast, Conversation in Black Freedom Studies with Schomburg Library, and New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Ford is currently researching Black radicalism in Pittsburgh prior to the Civil Rights movement.