About

Dr. Kishauna Soljour received her Ph.D. from the History Department at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Her research explores Black presence in Paris, France after World War II to the present.  In 2019, she became the first Black woman to receive her Ph.D. in History from Syracuse University. Her dissertation entitled, “Beyond the Banlieue: French Postcolonial Migration & the Politics of a Sub-Saharan Identity” highlights the roots of official immigration policy, the sociopolitical negotiation of successive waves of immigrants, the spatialization of race in a self-described “raceless society,” efforts for socioeconomic uplift, and popular cultural expressions of identity. This research won the all-university doctoral prize.

Embracing the mission of public humanities, Dr. Soljour utilizes her research and teaching experience to facilitate connections between academia and public service. Partnering with Humanities New York, the United Nations Volunteer Program and local organizations, she has developed a number of initiatives To Expand avenues for access for youth, immigrants and marginalized groups.