Shae Smith Cox

Shae Smith Cox is an Assistant Professor of History at Texas A&M University, affiliated with the War and Society Program and the Public History faculty. Her research centers on the U.S. Civil War, Reconstruction, and the material and cultural memory of conflict. She is the author of The Fabric of Civil War Society: Uniforms, Badges, and Flags, 1859-1939, published by LSU Press. Currently, she is completing a book exploring the auditory experiences of Civil War hospital staff through diaries and letters. Dr. Cox also leads the Smithridge oral history project, collaborating with Louisiana’s historically Black Terrebonne Parish community to preserve their cultural heritage amid coastal erosion and governmental neglect.

Her work integrates material culture with public history, emphasizing community-centered approaches to safeguarding marginalized narratives. She employs digital tools to document oral histories and material objects, ensuring the longevity of underrepresented stories in historical record-keeping.