Timothy Stewart-Winter

Timothy Stewart-Winter is an Associate Professor of History at Rutgers University–Newark, where he also serves as Graduate Director. He is affiliated with the Department of History, the Graduate Program in American Studies, and the Program in Women's and Gender Studies. His scholarship bridges LGBTQ history, urban politics, and social movements in modern America.

Education:

• B.A. in History, Swarthmore College, 2001
• M.A. in History, University of Chicago, 2003
• Ph.D. in History, University of Chicago, 2009

Stewart-Winter specializes in modern U.S. history with a focus on sexuality, gender, political culture, urban dynamics, and African American history. His work critically examines the intersections of LGBTQ identity with broader social and political structures, particularly through the lens of policing, citizenship, and public policy. He is especially known for his analysis of how LGBTQ communities navigated urban governance and civil rights struggles in cities like Chicago and Newark.

His publications span both academic and public venues. His first book, Queer Clout: Chicago and the Rise of Gay Politics (2016), won the John Boswell Prize and was a Lambda Literary Award finalist. His research has appeared in the Journal of American History, Journal of Urban History, and Gender & History. He has also written widely for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Slate, and Washington Post, bringing historical insight to contemporary debates on LGBTQ rights, policing, and racial justice.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• John Boswell Prize (2017)
• Finalist, Lambda Literary Award (2017)
• Visiting Scholar, Charles Warren Center, Harvard (2017–2018)
• Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Fellow (2008–2009)
• James C. Hormel Fellow in Lesbian & Gay Studies (2007–2008)
• Rutgers Research Council Grant (2013–2014)
• Moody Research Grant, LBJ Library (2015–2016)

Stewart-Winter has been deeply involved in public history initiatives, including co-directing the Queer Newark Oral History Project, which documents the lives and activism of LGBTQ individuals in Newark. His current book project explores the life of Walter Jenkins, Lyndon B. Johnson’s aide, whose political downfall after a 1964 arrest in a YMCA restroom illuminates the pervasive sexual politics of the Cold War era. His research has been supported by fellowships from the ACLS/Mellon Foundation and the Charles Warren Center.

He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses such as Contemporary U.S. History, Urban Sexualities, Race and Sexual Politics, and Gender in U.S. Politics and Culture Since 1900. He has advised collaborative research projects and continues to mentor emerging scholars in American Studies and LGBTQ history.