William Huntting Howell

William Huntting Howell is an Associate Professor at Boston University, specializing in American literature and culture before the Civil War, particularly the early years of the US republic. His work bridges literary studies with material culture, focusing on non-canonical fiction, poetry, and political writing.

His research explores the ideological dimensions of occasional poetry from the Stamp Act era to the abolitionist movement. He has published in top-tier journals including American Literature, American Literary History, and Common-place. At Boston University since 2009, he teaches interdisciplinary courses connecting literary works with material artifacts, such as courses on the American Revolution, Enlightenment, and Boston's cultural history.

• Current projects include the book Worldly Muses: American Occasional Poetry from the Revolution to Reconstruction
• Awarded prestigious fellowships from the NEH, Mellon Foundation, and American Philosophical Society
• Co-editor of American Literature in Transition, Volume I: 1770-1828 and Frank J. Webb's The Garies and their Friends

Contact: whhowell@bu.edu