Elea Proctor is an assistant professor in the Department of African American and African Studies at The Ohio State University. Dr. Proctor’s scholarship addresses the intersections of race, gender and sexuality in U.S. popular music and culture, paying specific attention to Black women’s musical performances in the wake of slavery. Trained as an interdisciplinary musicologist, her areas of expertise include the nineteenth- and twentieth-century United States, identity and performance, African American and Black diasporic musical cultures, and the history of slavery in the Americas. 

Please list your educational history. 

• B.A. in Music, Florida State University (2017)
• M.A. in Music History, Stanford University (2021)
• Ph.D. in Musicology, Stanford University (2024)

Please describe your current research/creative activity or area(s) of interest. 

Right now, my research focuses on Black women singers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I’m working on a book that traces Black women’s participation in the performance practice of blackface minstrelsy, which was the most popular form of entertainment in the United States from its conception in the 1830s until around 1900, although it continued to reverberate long after this point and into the present. Many people think of blackface minstrelsy as something performed for and by white men, as they were the originators of the practice during the antebellum era; less people know that Black artists also performed in the blackface minstrel tradition and even did so for Black audiences. I’m interested in how Black women singers navigated, transformed and subverted the racist gender logics of minstrelsy. 

I approach this topic from an interdisciplinary standpoint that merges theories and methods from Black studies and historical musicology. Although my degrees are in music, I’m a professor of African American and African Studies and that is my intellectual “home” as a scholar and a teacher. 

What/who influenced you to select your area(s) of study and how has that impacted your career? 

I’ve always loved music and history, so I chose to focus on those two areas throughout my secondary education and into my college years. As an undergraduate student at Florida State University, I majored in music and took a lot of classes in film history and business. I had two ideas for the direction of my career: I’d either go into the music and/or film industry, or I’d practice entertainment law. Neither option ever felt quite right for me, but I felt like I had limited options. I reasoned that I’d just get my degree and figure out the rest later.

Everything shifted when I took a class on African American film during my junior year. This course was the first that really encouraged me to think critically about the intersections of identity, history and the arts. It changed the way I thought about what education could be—not just a means to an end, but something that actually challenges and excites me. I enjoyed the class so much that I thought, “What if I could do this all of the time?” I applied for graduate programs hoping to combine my interests in studying race and music—and the rest is history! 

What undergraduate classes do you teach? 

This year, I’m teaching just one undergraduate class. In the fall semester, I teach AFAMAST 3086: Black Women in Slavery and Freedom. In the future, I’ll offer more undergraduate classes on Black history and culture with a focus on the history of slavery and its aftermaths.  

Why do you think a student should take these classes?

Understanding the historical and cultural contexts of how race and gender intersect is crucial to any student, no matter the discipline. Learning more about slavery, in particular, provides a basis for understanding social and cultural dynamics in contemporary society. Black women have often been overlooked in historical narratives that students may already be familiar with, so my goal in these courses is to not only expand students’ knowledge of Black women’s histories but also to shift how we think about concepts like resistance, abolition and justice. I also try to incorporate a lot of primary source analysis into my courses so that students can hear from the women themselves and begin to learn about the process of doing archival research. If any of these things interest you, I encourage you to take a class with me!

What aspects of your teaching give you the most satisfaction?

Getting positive feedback from students on how the course has influenced their thinking or impacted their future plans is always a moment worth celebrating. It confirms that my teaching is making a difference, which is the most important outcome for me. (Yes, instructors read student evaluations at the end of the semester—they’re very important!)

If there are opportunities for undergraduates to connect with you for research or creative activity, please share what this would be and how students should reach out to you.

I’m always happy to speak with undergraduates about research they might be interested in. The best way to reach me is via email at proctor.159@osu.edu. You can also stop by my office.

What book/movie would you recommend or what music do you enjoy? 

This year, I’ve really been enjoying new music by Tyla, Beyoncé, Sierra Ferrell and Cécile McLorin Salvant. I’m also a sucker for a good Tiny Desk concert—especially one featuring a Broadway cast. When I have time to do some fun reading, I usually reach for sci-fi or fantasy. I’d recommend anything by Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, Brandon Sanderson, and Martha Wells.

What is the most interesting place you have visited? 

Probably New Orleans. Phenomenal food, music, and architecture—it’s one of my favorite cities in the world.

What is the best advice you have received? 

“Perfect is the enemy of good.”

What advice would you give to undergraduate students? 

When I was an undergrad student trying to figure out what I was doing with my life—what job I wanted to have, where I wanted to live, and so on—my mom told me to imagine what I wanted my life to look like – not in the general sense, but in terms of the rhythms of everyday life. Imagine your future self’s ideal workday. What time do you wake up in the morning? Do you work from home or commute—and are you walking, driving or taking public transportation? How long is your commute? You arrive at work—is it a coffee shop, a cubicle or something outdoors? Go through your entire imaginary day like this, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. This exercise might not tell you exactly what kind of path you want your career to take, but it may help you narrow down your options.

Feel free to stop by my office hours. 

I love to talk about Black history, archives, and Cowboy Carter. 

Would you like to share a fun/interesting fact about yourself?

I’m learning to play clawhammer banjo and having a great time with it. 

Learn more about Professor Proctor’s work, email and office location on her department web page.