Ryan K. Smith

Ryan K. Smith is a Professor of History at Virginia Commonwealth University specializing in U.S. History, Material Culture, and Historic Preservation. He holds a Ph.D. in American Civilization from the University of Delaware and an M.A. in History from the College of William and Mary. His research focuses on American religious history, public history projects like historic lighthouse restoration, and the cultural significance of burial grounds through race-based lenses.

Education:

• Ph.D. in American Civilization, University of Delaware
• M.A. in History, College of William and Mary

Research Interests:

• Material culture analysis of Shaker furniture and antebellum architecture
• Urban cemetery preservation and Confederate memory reclamation
• Interdisciplinary approaches to historic landscapes (e.g., body-snatching landscapes)
• Architectural biography of Founding Fathers like Robert Morris
• Anti-Catholicism's impact on 19th-century church design

Notable Projects:

• "Death and Rebirth in a Southern City" (2020) – Richmond burial grounds study
• "Robert Morris's Folly" (2014) – Revolutionary-era architectural failures
• Public history collaborations with institutions like the Library of Virginia and Winterthur Museum

Student Collaboration:

• Website development for Richmond cemeteries project involving undergraduates
• Co-author of digital project "The Judah Will" with students