Charles W. McKinney, Jr., M.A. 1993, Ph.D. 2003

Neville Frierson Bryan Chair of Africana Studies, Associate Professor of History, Rhodes College – Memphis, TN

1993 M.A., History; 2003 Ph.D., History; certificate in African & African American Studies (2003)

How has being a History graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?

Duke was indispensable to my overall professional growth and development. Being in the History Department was a transformative experience. The Titans of the Department that I studied with (Chafe, Gavins, Payne, Goodwyn, Gaspar, Ewald, Wood) imparted an enduring sense of love and curiosity with regard to history, how it's produced, how it's taught.

What advice would you give students in Duke's History programs? 

"Build community outside of your program. Your cohort is always important. But it's also important to build your networks of love and support beyond Carr Building."

Charles W. McKinney, Jr.