Robert Cassanello

Robert Cassanello serves as Associate Professor of History at the University of Central Florida, where his research centers on Jim Crow America, Civil Rights Movement, and Labor/Working-Class History. His interdisciplinary work bridges academic scholarship and public history through books, documentary films, and podcast series that explore racial and labor dynamics in the American South.

Education:

• Ph.D. in History, Florida State University (2000)

Research Focus: Dr. Cassanello examines how race, labor, and gender intersected in Southern public life during Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras, with particular attention to Florida's unique historical trajectory. His scholarship challenges traditional narratives through meticulous archival research and community-centered storytelling.

Publication Themes: His 15+ year output reveals consistent focus on racial segregation's impact on public spaces, labor movement evolution, and Florida's constitutional development. Recent work shows increasing integration of digital media, with documentary films and podcasts making historical scholarship accessible to broader audiences while maintaining academic rigor.

Award Recognition: His innovative public history projects have earned significant acclaim across multiple media formats.

• Suncoast Emmy Award for "The Committee" (2014) and nominations for "Filthy Dreamers" (2020) and "Marching Forward" (2021)
• Four Hampton Dunn Internet Awards for podcast series (2014-2019)
• Harry and Harriette Moore Award for "To Render Invisible" (2014)
• International Jury Award at Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (2014)
• UCF Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award (2012)

Research Funding & Collaboration: Dr. Cassanello has secured substantial external funding while building cross-disciplinary partnerships that extend historical scholarship beyond academia.

• National Endowment for the Humanities: Extending the Reach Fellowship (2001-2002)
• Florida Humanities Council: Mini Grants (2011, 2013, 2018)
• UCF Internal Grants: Research Incentive Award (2017), Teaching Incentive Program (2013, 2018), Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award (2012)
• Creative Collaborations: Film projects with Dr. Lisa Mills; Digital exhibit with Jones High School Historical Society; H-Podcast network editorship

Current initiatives include completing a book on Florida suffrage history and developing multimedia resources that document Orlando's African American educational heritage through community partnerships.