Dr. Kelly Wisecup

Biography

Kelly Wisecup is a literary cultural historian whose work brings together early American studies, Native American Indigenous Studies, and the histories of books and archives. As a non-Native scholar, she engages with contemporary Native nations and peoples, focusing on researching, teaching, and writing about Indigenous literatures. Wisecup welcomes inquiries from prospective graduate students interested in early American literatures, Indigenous literatures, and archival theory. Her recent book, 'Assembled for Use: Indigenous Compilation and the Archives of Early Native American Literatures' (Yale University Press, 2021), received the 2023 Early American Literature Book Prize. She has been awarded fellowships from the Newberry Library and the American Philosophical Society, and served as co-director of Northwestern’s Center for Native American and Indigenous Research. Wisecup’s research extends to collaborations with tribal nations and Indigenous organizations, and she participates in public humanities projects that intersect with Indigenous literatures. Recent projects include the Ojibwe Muzzeniegun Digital Edition Project and collaboration with the American Indian Center of Chicago to build community archives. Her areas of teaching and research include Early American Studies, Native American Indigenous Studies, and Digital Humanities, among others.

Research Interests