News from CLASS

History Professor’s Book on Outspoken Congresswoman Garners National Reviews

Associate Professor of History Leandra Zarnow wrote “Battling Bella: The Protest Politics of Bella Abzug” to preserve the legacy of outspoken and pioneering civil rights advocate Bella Abzug. Abzug, who in 1971 was one of 15 women to serve in the United States House of Representatives, lent her voice to the debate on issues like gay rights, women’s rights and foreign policy.

CLASS Mourns the Loss of UH Professor Emeritus of Health and Human Performance, Dale Gordon Pease

“I am saddened to announce that Dr. Dale Gordan Pease, professor emeritus of Health and Human Performance (HHP), has passed away,” said Dr. Daniel P. O’Connor, interim dean of the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS). “Dr. Pease was genuinely and selflessly engaged in ensuring the success of students, particularly graduate students.”

Yonatan Mascorro is Honored by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner

Yonatan Mascorro, a member of the Academic Achievers Program sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies, is the recipient of the Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Youth Activist Award. Mascorro is a first-generation college student pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering and was recognized for mentoring 25 fellow students at Stephen F. Austin Senior High School in STEM courses. Over two years, he was able to guide low-performing students to the top 10 percent of their graduating class.

New African American Studies Scholarship Honors Houston-Area Social Justice Leader

The University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) is proud to announce that Director of African American Studies James L. Conyers, Jr., Ph.D., has established the William Alexander Lawson Social Justice Scholarship Endowment. This scholarship honors the remarkable legacy of civil rights advocacy and social justice activism that Rev. Lawson has built over seven decades as one of Houston’s most influential civic and religious leaders.

Cristina Rivera Garza Named 2020 MacArthur Fellow

The University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) is proud to announce that Cristina Rivera Garza, Ph.D., founder and director of the UH doctoral program in Hispanic Studies with a concentration in creative writing in Spanish, has received a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship. 
Read UH News Release

History Professor Takes Tough Stance Against Waste and Environmental Racism

As wildfires rage through West Coast communities and Houstonians keep watch on another severe hurricane season, History Professor Emeritus Martin Melosi, Ph.D., is once again in the spotlight for his writing and research on urban waste, pollution, and climate change. His work on environmental racism—the ways in which ecological hardships disproportionately affect communities of color—feels especially timely in light of ongoing conversations around racial justice in the United States.