Current Research Interests
My research focuses on gender in the 19th Century American South. I’m particularly interested in:
- Marital strife in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama
- Gender dynamics and legal frameworks in antebellum Southern states
- Women’s agency within marriage and divorce proceedings in the pre-Civil War South
Research Projects
Current Dissertation Research
Working on analyzing divorce petition records from North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama (1800-1860) to understand patterns of marital strife and women’s legal agency in the antebellum South.
Deeds Unbound Project
Collaborating with Dr. Brent Morris and the Deeds Unbound team on digitizing and analyzing deed records from Pickens District (1828-1866) to illuminate the experiences of enslaved peoples in legal documents.
Delicate Flowers in Harsh Conditions
Using topic modeling on southern women’s diaries to identify various attitudes towards Civil War conditions. While age emerges as an important consideration among these women, their diaries reflect an active participation in the war and a notable enthusiasm among the younger women.