19th century architectural history, material culture, museum studies, US History
Mary focuses her studies on the historic preservation and interpretation of 19th century United States historic sites, specifically spaces tied to the African American experience. Her concentration largely derives from her museum work in the American South where she assisted in analyzing architectural and material culture alongside historical research to better understand the spaces and histories of those enslaved at the sites. Her decade of field experience ultimately inspired her interdisciplinary research which seeks to expand the interpretation of US historic sites and race and gender dynamics in 19th century United States.
Mary earned her BA in History from the University of Michigan in 2016 and received her MLIS and certification in Archival Administration from Wayne State University in 2020.