I am a public historian and scholar of U.S. history. My research interests focus on the intersection of the legal, cultural, and political history of the United States, particularly during the twentieth century. I am writing a book about the politics of violence in the 1960s and 1970s.  I am currently the director of history at the Federal Judicial Center. I was formerly an associate professor of history and co-director of War Stories, a public history project, at Angelo State University. I am also a host for the New Books in History podcast.  The views on this website are my own and do not represent those of my employer.