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Abigail K. Stephens

Research Interests:
19th Century American History
20th Century American History
History of Public Health
African-American History since 1865
history of medicine
Research and Education

My dissertation project examines the effects of smallpox on Louisville's Black communities at the turn of the twentieth century. I am currently exploring how Black community members organized for mutual aid during this period, as well as how the city government's public health strategies intersected with police surveillance of Black Louisvillians.

University of Kentucky, PhD candidate in History, May 2025 (projected)

University of Kentucky, Master of Arts in History, May 2021

University of North Carolina at Asheville, Bachelor of Arts in History, May 2018, summa cum laude

Abigail Stephens

MA Student

Research Interests: 19th century American History, 20th century American history, medicine, public health, access to healthcare, race and gender