Crystal Feimster

Crystal Feimster, (Ph.D., Princeton University, 2000), is Associate Professor of African American Studies, History and American Studies at Yale University. Feimster’s academic focus is racial and sexual violence; currently, she is completing a project on rape during the American Civil War. Her book, Southern Horrors: Women and the Politics of Rape and Lynching, focuses on two women journalists, Ida B. Wells, who campaigned against lynching, and Rebecca Latimer Felton, who urged white men to prove their manhood by lynching black men accused of raping white women.

Featured News

• “The First Feminist President,” The Chronicle Review, September 25, 2016
• Convener: Teach In “Ferguson and Beyond: Race, Policing and Social Justice” March 31, 2015. Yale University.
• Interview:  “The Lower Frequencies Podcast: Episode 4” with Nicholas Forster, African American Studies/Film and Media Studies graduate student at Yale.
• 2013-2014 Yale Provost Prize for Teaching acknowledges annually the teaching excellence of 10 members of Yale’s untenured faculty each year. Nominations from deans and department chairs, as well as information from student evaluations, are considered in determining honorees. 
• 2013 Poorvu Prize Honoree: The Poorvu Family Award for Interdisciplinary Teaching was established to recognize and enhance Yale’s strength in interdisciplinary teaching. It provides the means for distinguished junior faculty in interdisciplinary fields to conduct essential summer research.
• “Q&A: A fresh look at rape during the Civil War.” Crystal Feimster is interviewed by journalist Kery K. Paterson for the blog, “Women Under Siege.”  Thursday, May 9, 2013.  http://www.womenundersiegeproject.org/blog/entry/qa-a-fresh-look-at-rape…
• “Rape and Justice in the Civil War,” New York Times, “Opinionator” column by Crystal Feimster. Friday, April 26, 2013.
• http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/rape-and-justice-in-the-civil-war/#more-143080
• Crystal Feimster comments in this video interview: “Gauging Happiness in Smaller Majors, ” by Catherine Wang and Clinton Wang. Yale Daily News, Friday, March 8, 2013.
• In a radio interview, Crystal Feimster explains laws protecting women victims of sexual violence during the Civil War: “Sew Up Your Petticoats” a segment on the episode, “Rules of Engagement: Ethics in Warfare” [29:59 - 33:23]. BackStory with the American History Guys Published Friday, 2/1/2013. http://backstoryradio.org (Updated Mar. 4, 2013).
• Crystal Feimster comments on the film, “The Central Park Five” (2012), a documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon.
• Crystal Feimster to deliver SAWH’s annual address, “Indecent and Obscene”: White Officers, Black Women, and Rape in the “Contraband Quarters of the American Civil War,” on Saturday, November 3, 5pm, during the Southern Historical Association’s 78th Annual Meetings. Updated Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 1:01pm.