Kathryn Cross

Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Kathryn’s research investigates the impacts of race and racism on the geographic and social landscapes of the Tenth Street Freedman’s Town in Dallas, Texas, through comprehensive mapping, spatial analysis and archival research. In this work, she traces the neighborhood from the 1920s through the construction of the R.L. Thornton Freeway in the 1950s, while also helping illuminate the lived experiences of those who built and sustained the community.

ROAD TO THE MOODY SCHOOL:

Kathryn grew up in Virginia, where she graduated from James Madison University with a B.A. in anthropology in 2011. While there, she worked for the Environmental Archaeology Program on projects in Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge. She also volunteered with the Archeological Society of Virginia Massanutten Chapter, which sparked her passion for public archaeology. She then worked as an archaeologist for FEMA in Biloxi, Mississippi, before moving to Dallas to pursue a Ph.D. Kathryn is also a dedicated volunteer for Remembering Black Dallas and an avid ultra-runner.