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American Studies is an interdisciplinary program that provides opportunities for students to study American culture, society, identity, and politics by combining coursework in a wide variety of disciplines into a single major.

Department News

American Studies students opened an exhibition at UR Downtown titled: PROTEST! A Richmond History, which surveys the history of protest and dissent in the city of Richmond. Members of the class and their professor Nicole Sackley spoke with WCVE and the Richmond Times-Dispatch about the exhibit, which is on view through September 1.

Countries where Recent Majors have Studied Abroad
of Core Courses Engage with the Richmond Community
Departments Represented by American Studies Core Faculty

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Faculty Highlights

  • Ayers elected to Colonial Williamsburg board
    Ayers elected to Colonial Williamsburg board

    Edward Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities and president emeritus, was elected to the board of trustees for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
  • Winiarski New England Society Book Award
    Winiarski New England Society Book Award

    Religious studies and American studies professor Douglas Winiarski has been awarded a 2018 Book Award for nonfiction by The New England Society for his work, Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England.
  • Yellin Grant
    Yellin Grant History professor Eric Yellin received a grant from the Dirksen Congressional Center to research the political, cultural, and social meanings of Social Security after World War II.
  • Winiarski Book Wins Bancroft Prize
    Winiarski Book Wins Bancroft Prize

    Religious studies professor Doug Winiarski's book Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England  won the 2018 Bancroft Prize in American History and Diplomacy, presented by Columbia University.
  • Ayers Receives Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize
    Ayers Receives Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize

    Tucker Boatwright Professor of the Humanities and President Emeritus Ed Ayers will receive the 2018 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize for his book, The Thin Light of Freedom: The Civil War and Emancipation in the Heart of America.
  • Ayers on Podcasts@Boatwright
    Ayers on Podcasts@Boatwright

    University professor Ed Ayers discussed his latest book The Thin Light of Freedom: The Civil War and Emancipation in the Heart of America on Podcasts@Boatwright
  • Browder Fulbright
    Browder Fulbright

    Dr. Laura Browder has been awarded a grant to serve as a Fulbright Specialist in South Africa. She will partner with students, faculty and staff at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg to curate an art exhibition focusing on inequality.
  • Yellin Named Distinguished Educator
    Yellin Named Distinguished Educator

    Dr. Eric Yellin was named a Distinguished Educator at this year's Colloquy ceremony.
  • Yellin's Work with Princeton
    Yellin's Work with Princeton

    Dr. Eric Yellin was one of nine scholars invited to submit a letter on Wilson’s legacy to Princeton’s Board of Trustees’ Wilson Legacy Review Committee, which was formed in response to student protests in the fall regarding the veneration of Wilson at Princeton and the broader racial culture there. He will be teaching a semester-long seminar on Wilson’s legacy at Princeton this fall.
  • Winiarski Fellowship
    Winiarski Fellowship

    Dr. Doug Winiarski has been awarded a semester-long Residential Fellowship from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities to support his project,  “Shakers, Jerkers & the Shawnee Prophet: Religious Encounters on the Early American Frontier.” 

Feature Stories

History in their own words
A new University Museums exhibit explores growing up in Civil Rights Richmond through stories of those who were there.
UR Students Tackle HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Documentary Drama
University of Richmond students will perform a documentary drama about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its disproportionate effect on people of color in the city of Richmond.
University of Richmond Professor Receives 2018 Book Award by The New England Society
University of Richmond religious studies and American studies professor Douglas Winiarski has been awarded a 2018 Book Award for nonfiction by The New England Society for his work, Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England.
University of Richmond senior awarded international Gilman scholarship to study public health in Amsterdam
University of Richmond senior Cherelle Cotton, of Hampton, Virginia, has received a Gilman scholarship to support her summer study abroad experience in Amsterdam.
University of Richmond and Armstrong High School students to perform docudrama about high school's history
University of Richmond and Armstrong High School students will take the stage to perform “The Spirit of Armstrong,” a documentary drama highlighting the history of Richmond’s Armstrong High School. The performance is April 19 at 6 p.m. in Armstrong High School’s auditorium.  
UR Downtown opens exhibition about the history of protest in RVA
The University of Richmond Downtown, will open a new exhibition titled “PROTEST! A Richmond History” as part of RVA First Fridays on April 6 at 5 p.m.
University of Richmond professor Douglas Winiarski awarded 2018 Bancroft Prize in American History and Diplomacy
University of Richmond professor Douglas Winiarski, who teaches in the Department of Religious Studies and the American Studies program, has won a 2018 Bancroft Prize in American History and Diplomacy for his book, “Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England.”
University of Richmond professor Douglas Winiarski named as finalist for prestigious book award, the George Washington Prize
University of Richmond religious studies and American studies professor Douglas Winiarski has been named as a finalist for the 2018 George Washington Prize for his book, “Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England.”
Miranda Rosenblum, '18
Senior finds their calling as an LBGTQ advocate through a series of internships.
Experiencing a religious revolution
Douglas Winiarski explores how 18th century Americans experienced religion differently than previous generations.
The Great War, Modernity, and Memory
SSIR class travels to France and Belgium to witness repercussions of First World War
University of Richmond junior awarded international Gilman scholarship for study abroad at the University of Cambridge
University of Richmond junior M. Tyler York, of Hampton, Virginia, has received a Gilman scholarship to support his study abroad experience at the University of Cambridge this summer.
Rap Artist Mad Skillz
SPCS is pleased to introduce rap artist, producer and deejay Mad Skillz as its first ever artist-in-residence to team teach the class “The Voice of Hip Hop in America” with SPCS professor Dr. Erik Nielson.
Documenting a Historic Black High School
After conducting archival research and interviews, UR students wrote and performed a documentary drama about the history of Armstrong High School.
University of Richmond professor wins Fulbright to curate exhibition on South African inequality
University of Richmond English professor Laura Browder has been awarded a grant to serve as a Fulbright Specialist in South Africa. She will partner with students, faculty and staff at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg to curate an art exhibition focusing on inequality, which is scheduled to open in summer 2018. 
Greetings from Richmond Exhibit
On the first day of class, the American Studies Capstone Seminar, taught by Nicole Sackley, associate professor of history and American studies, ga...
Students explored the This is Richmond, Virginia exhibition at The Valentine with Meg Hughes, curator of archives.

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Contact Us

Mailing address:
American Studies Program
Carole Weinstein International Center, Room 306
211 Richmond Way
University of Richmond, Virginia 23173

Phone: (804) 484-1471
Fax: (804) 484-1577

Program coordinator: Nicole Sackley