UIC historian Jane Rhodes elected to the American Antiquarian Society

Jane Rhodes, professor of Black Studies and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, has been elected to membership in the American Antiquarian Society, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious scholarly societies.

Founded in 1812, the American Antiquarian Society is a national research library and learned society dedicated to advancing the study of American history and culture. Rhodes joins more than 1,200 members recognized for outstanding contributions to academic and public life.

A mass-media historian specializing in African American history and culture, Rhodes researches race, gender and media, including the history of the Black press and representations of Black social movements. Her work explores how communities have used media and cultural expression as tools of resistance and empowerment.

She is the author of "Mary Ann Shadd Cary: The Black Press and Protest in the Nineteenth Century," which received a top book award in mass-communication history, and "Framing the Black Panthers: The Spectacular Rise of a Black Power Icon." Rhodes has held fellowships at institutions including the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and universities in the United Kingdom, and she is currently working on projects exploring transatlantic Black history and radical media traditions.

On campus, Rhodes has served in several leadership roles, including head of UIC Department of Black Studies from 2015 to 2021. She now supports faculty research and interdisciplinary programs as an associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Based in Worcester, Massachusetts, the American Antiquarian Society holds more than 4 million items documenting life in the United States before 1900. It supports scholars and the public through research access, digital collections and fellowship programs.

- Jonathan Cecero, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences