Libra Hilde

Chair & Professor Department of History libra.hilde@sjsu.edu   Keywords Slavery, history of the U.S. South, gender, masculinity, Civil War mortality, race relations, Reconstruction.

Current Research Activities

My current book project uses quantitative (census reports, applications for widows pensions) and qualitative (diaries, letters) data to examine the social and political impact of Civil War mortality in the U.S. South, a region that lost 18% of its white male population. 

Research Connections to Current Events

My recently published book on slavery and fatherhood counters stereoptypes of the African American family and enduring misconceptions of black masculinity. The next project explores the impact of high mortality in the South on post Civil War marragie patterns, household formation, regional migration, gender roles, politics, race relations, and memory, topics with relevance for modern American politics. 

Personal Connections to Research

I became a history major in college after taking a course with Leon Litwack, and my current interests are still shaped by this formative expereince.