The faculty and staff I have met in the Black Studies department have been some of the most generous scholars and mentors.”
Casidy Campbell (she/her)
Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Black Studies
Casidy Campbell is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Black Studies in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Her work is focused on the fullness of Black girls’ personhood and seeks to honor the life of unnamed, unknown, overlooked black girls who only come to have political significance in death. Casidy recently accepted a tenure-track position in the African American and African Studies Department at The Ohio State University beginning in Fall 2024.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
My research is dedicated to narrating the life histories of Black girls who would have been overlooked. I specifically write about three Black girls who were murdered by state and/or gender-based violence in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The project is highly critical of how social media, when used as a justice-seeking tool, flattens their personhoods in service of broader political agendas. I seek to recover their lives beyond these limited representations through venerating their friendships, family, moments of pleasure, play, and possibility in their everyday lives before their passings.
What do you find both rewarding and challenging about your research and/or work?
I find writing to be rewarding and challenging. I strongly dislike all the early stages of writing—especially the first draft or figuring out how to pare down my big ideas. However, my favorite part is revising. I love refining, and that is where my stylistic flare gets to shine. It’s a great feeling “playing Tetris” with my sentences, and seeing my ideas get clearer and clearer.
Why Northwestern?
The Black Studies department! Also, who wouldn't want to live in Chicago? I'm from NYC, and I am a city girl at heart. But mainly, it was for the amazing faculty and the chance to get to workshop my ideas and refine my teaching skills among powerhouses. The faculty and staff I have met in the Black Studies department have been some of the most generous scholars and mentors. They have ensured that my postdoctoral journey has been fruitful, rewarding, and they prepped me immensely for the tenure track.
How do you unwind after a long day?
If I’m not trying a new recipe from my NYT Essential Cookbook, I’ll make fresh kettle corn and binge an old TV show with 20+ episodes per season. I just finished Fringe. What a great ending! And although it's not old, I just started Hacks on MAX, and it's been hilarious so far.
What inspires you?
My younger sisters inspire me. I have 3 younger sisters: one just graduated college, the other just graduated high school, and the youngest will be starting 8th grade. They are some of the most kind, self-determined, and brilliant people I ever met. They are unafraid, careful, but unapologetic. They remind me to be bold and feel the full range of my emotions. They are also some of the funniest people I know, and they keep me on my toes (and up to date especially with makeup and clothing trends).
What did you originally want to be when you grew up?
I originally wanted to be a gastroenterologist. Then, when I found out that it required 14 years of school, I said never mind. I was 12, so I didn't understand the concept of residency at the time. Turns out, I ended up spending a long time in school anyway.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
I am really proud of everything I've done this academic year. I've taught two courses, presented on panels, and drafted an article as a doctor. There were many times it didn't seem possible or feasible to get to this point. I am proud that I have been able to accomplish so much, and Northwestern has been integral to that journey.
Publish Date: June 18, 2024
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