معرفی
Neal A. Lester is a Foundation Professor of English and Founding Director of Project Humanities at Arizona State University (ASU). He holds roles including former Dean of Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Associate Vice President for Humanities and Arts. His research focuses on African American literature, cultural studies, and social justice pedagogy, with a particular emphasis on race and gender politics, children’s literature, and hair as a cultural symbol.
Education:
- PhD in English, Vanderbilt University (First African American to earn a doctorate in English at Vanderbilt)
- MA in English, Vanderbilt University
- BA in English, University of West Georgia (Valedictorian)
Research & Teaching: Lester’s work includes analyzing the N-word’s cultural impact, hair’s sociopolitical significance, and Disney’s representation of race/gender. He teaches courses like “Advances in Ethnic and Postcolonial Literatures” and pioneered the groundbreaking “The Nword: An Anatomy Lesson” course. His scholarship spans 8 books, 33 essays, and 11 book chapters, with a widely downloaded article on teaching the N-word.
Awards & Public Engagement: Recognitions include the Arizona State University Parents Association Professor of the Year (2003) and the inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Servant-Leadership Faculty Award (2022). He has delivered over 280 lectures, 337 media interviews, and guest appearances, advocating for diversity, equity, and community-building. Project Humanities, his initiative, has received national acclaim for fostering humanities-driven dialogue.
Labs/Teams: Directs Project Humanities, which promotes interdisciplinary humanities research and public programs. Collaborations include the Lion and the Unicorn special issue on hair and co-editing volumes on personal ads and Sapphire’s literary legacy.
