News Releases
UMD Experts Available to Discuss America 250
Stephanie Cordle/University of Maryland
June 05, 2026
Contacts
Media Relations: mediainfo@umd.edu
America's 250th anniversary is one of the biggest stories of 2026 — and there's far more to it than fireworks and patriotic pageantry. University of Maryland faculty experts are available to help journalists dig into the history, culture, and movements that have shaped the nation across 250 years, from the revolutionary era to today.
To contact any of the experts below, or for help finding an expert on a different subject, please reach out to mediainfo@umd.edu.
Experts by Topic
American History by Century
18th Century: Early America and the Revolutionary War
Richard Bell: American history from 1750 to 1877, slavery
Holly Brewer: Early American history, impact of democratic ideas across the early British empire
19th Century: Civil War, Reconstruction, Expansion and the Gilded Age
Christopher Bonner: African American history and the 19th-century United States
Michael Ross: American constitutional history and the Civil War & Reconstruction eras
Madeline Hsu: Immigration history
20th Century: The World Wars, Civil Rights Era, the Cold War
Robert Chiles: American history from the Gilded Age to WWII
Quincy Mills: African American history, culture, political engagement and activism
Patrick Chung: U.S. military history and the Cold War era
Robert Friedel: History of American inventions and technology
Christian Ostermann: Cold War international history
Race and Identity in America
Quincy Mills: African American history, culture, political engagement and activism
Christopher Bonner: African American history and the 19th-century United States
Robert Levine: American and African American literature, the work of Frederick Douglass
Stephanie Shonekan: American and African American music culture
Madeline Hsu: Immigration history
Antoine Banks: American and African American politics and public opinion
Janelle Wong: Asian American politics
Arts, Literature and Culture
Robert Levine: American and African American literature, the work of Frederick Douglass
Stephanie Shonekan: American and African American music culture
Robert Chester: American films and pop culture
Donald Linebaugh: American historic preservation
David Wyatt: Twentieth-century American literature
Barry Pearson: Traditional American music
Social Movements and Reform
Robyn Muncy: American social and labor movements
Madeline Hsu: Immigration history
Quincy Mills: African American history, culture, political engagement and activism
Government and Politics
Antoine Banks: American and African American politics and public opinion
Breanna Gray: U.S. Congress
David Karol: parties, interest groups, political institutions and American political development, political institutions, parties and interest groups
The Constitution and Democracy
Holly Brewer: Early American history, impact of democratic ideas across the early British empire
Michael Ross: American constitutional history and the Civil War & Reconstruction eras
Lena Morreale Scott: Civic education
Tom Bettag: Journalism’s role in American democracy
Tom Rosenstiel: Intersection of media and politics
Sarah McGrew: Civic education, social studies education
Campbell Scribner: History of education, federal education policy, civic education, school choice
About the University of Maryland
The University of Maryland (UMD) is the state's flagship university driven by a community of more than 50,000 fearless Terrapins. As a leading research university and top 20 public institution, UMD is proud to be part of the Association of American Universities. Dedicated to excellence and impact for the public good, the university is propelled by a $1.4 billion joint research enterprise. UMD is the nation’s first Do Good campus, and is consistently ranked for its innovation, research and top-tier academic programs. Located in the National Capital Region, the university offers an unparalleled student experience with federal internship opportunities, hundreds of academic programs and study abroad options, and top-ranked living-learning programs. Spurred by a culture of innovation and creativity, UMD’s faculty are global leaders in their fields and include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and members of the national academies. For more information about the University of Maryland, College Park, visit umd.edu