Alaina E. Roberts serves as an Assistant Professor in the History Department at the University of Pittsburgh, where she delves into the complex interplay between African American and Native American histories spanning from the 19th century to contemporary times. Her research critically examines themes of identity, settler colonialism, and the dynamics of anti-Blackness.
In 2021, she published her debut book, *I’ve Been Here All the While: Black Freedom on Native Land* (University of Pennsylvania Press), which intricately weaves together the narratives of African Americans and Native Americans. The work unveils a unique perspective on the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, highlighting the pivotal roles played by Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole peoples, along with their enslaved Black individuals and white settlers from the eastern United States. It illustrates their struggles for land ownership in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma, which had been taken from others.
Roberts’ scholarship reveals how, during this period, this region served as a temporary refuge for Black individuals seeking to escape the oppressive Jim Crow laws, allowing them to claim land and enjoy political rights until Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907. Her contributions significantly enrich the understanding of race, belonging, and national identity in American history.
