Dr. Samuel Roberts

Biography

Samuel Kelton Roberts, Jr. is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Columbia University, and he is also part of the Sociomedical Sciences within the Mailman School of Public Health. His scholarly work focuses on African American urban history, with a particular emphasis on medicine, public health, and science and technology. He authored the acclaimed book, "Infectious Fear: Politics, Disease, and the Health Effects of Segregation", which examines the political economy of race and modern American public health from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. His current research project engages with the historical and social aspects of race recovery in the United States, particularly regarding heroin addiction treatment from the 1950s to the early 1990s. Roberts has also held leadership roles, such as serving as the Policy Director for the Justice Initiative at Columbia University, and has made contributions through various publications and media, including podcasting on topics related to public health and social justice.

Research Interests