Dr. Stephen Berrey

Biography

Stephen Berrey is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, in the Department of History. He specializes in the cultural social history of race and ethnicity in the 20th century United States. His notable work, "Jim Crow Routine: Everyday Performances of Race, Civil Rights, and Segregation in Mississippi," examines the daily interactions of Black and white Southerners during the era of Jim Crow and the civil rights movement. Berrey argues that racial interactions were performative, showing how Jim Crow shaped the behaviors and relationships of different racial groups. His current research focuses on cultural history and the dynamics of whiteness in small-town America, spanning the 20th century and exploring local histories and interracial encounters. He is deeply engaged in the study of race, culture, and African American history, particularly in the U.S. South during the 20th century, and contributes to understanding how race and culture intersect in historically significant ways.

Research Interests