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History

Jessica Brabble

Ph.D. Student

Advisor: Melvin Ely
Current Research: American South; Popular Culture; Eugenics and Disability
Email: [[jmbrabble]]

Bio
Jessica is interested in researching the use of bodies as spectacle and entertainment at agricultural fairs in the South. She is particularly interested in how particular forms of entertainment--like better baby contests and freak shows--relate to perceptions of disability and ideas of eugenics in the early 20th century. Jessica received her MA in History and Certificate in Public History from Virginia Tech in 2021. While there, she published her work in the Journal of the North Carolina Association of Historians, Nursing Clio, and The Washington Post's Made by History column. Jessica received BA degrees in History, Psychology, and Sociology from North Carolina Wesleyan College in 2019.