Dr. Takkara Brunson

Biography

Takkara Brunson is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Texas A&M University, specializing in the political cultural traditions of the African Diaspora with an emphasis on how Black women shaped Latin American and Caribbean societies, particularly in relation to slave abolition. She is the author of 'Black Women, Citizenship, and Making Modern Cuba' published by the University of Florida Press in 2021. This book analyzes the navigation of social movements by women of African descent who lacked formal political power. It highlights the contributions of Black women as feminists, educators, labor leaders, and civic club activists who achieved individual victories as part of a collective struggle for democratic reform, alongside the persistent challenges of racism and sexism in Cuban citizenship. Currently, Brunson is working on projects that examine the use of photography among Cubans of African descent from the 1890s to the 1950s, focusing on how Black politicians, religious leaders, entertainers, and socialites utilized photographs and modern technology to engage with evolving ideas of Cuban national identity and Afro-diasporic community formation. Her research has been featured in journals such as Gender & History and Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism, among others. Brunson's work has received support from several prestigious organizations, including the Institute for Citizens Scholars and the Ford Foundation.

Research Interests

Experience