Christopher Petrella

Christopher Petrella is a historian and scholar specializing in 19th and 20th century racialization in the United States.13 He holds a Ph.D. in African Diaspora Studies from UC Berkeley, as well as degrees from Harvard Divinity School and Bates College.1

Currently, Petrella serves as an instructor in the History Department at Boston University and as the Associate Director of Advocacy at the Center for Antiracist Research.4 His work focuses on intellectual histories of race and resistance in the United States.1

Petrella is also a writer, researcher, and strategist. His writing has been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on platforms like NPR and CNN.1 He is currently working on his first book, provisionally titled "Real White: Histories of White Supremacy in New England," which challenges the region's self-presentation as a bastion of racial piety and antiracist myth-making.1

In addition to his academic work, Petrella has held other notable positions:

1. Director of Advocacy at the Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University from February 2018 to June 2020.4
2. Lecturer in American Cultural Studies at Bates College.2
3. Manager of programmatic and grantmaking initiatives for the Marguerite Casey Foundation, where he also serves as a key advisor.6

Petrella's research and teaching explore the intersections of race, criminality, and citizenship.5 His work contributes significantly to discussions on racial justice and antiracism in the United States.