Richard Breaux

Richard Breaux is an Associate Professor in the Department of Race/Gender/Sexuality Studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, within the College of Art, Social Sciences and Humanities. He holds a PhD and MA from the University of Iowa and an AB from Dartmouth College. His research focuses on African American History, Arab American History, and the intersection of race, gender, and media, with specialties in music, sports, and digital humanities.

• Education: PhD (University of Iowa), MA (University of Iowa), AB (Dartmouth College)

His work bridges historical analysis and cultural studies, particularly exploring marginalized communities through archival music collections and educational narratives. Recent research includes Mahjari Musicians on early Arab American recordings and studies on Black student experiences in Jim Crow-era universities. He regularly presents at international conferences, such as the Arab American Public History Conference (2024) and Academia on Screen (2020). His writings appear in journals like Journal of African American Studies and Syria Untold.

Teaching includes courses on race, gender, and media analysis. He maintains a blog, Midwest Mahjar, documenting Syrian/Lebanese diaspora music. Despite no listed awards, his contributions to public history and cultural preservation are widely recognized.