Sharon Wright Austin facts for kids

Sharon Wright Austin is an American expert in political science. She is a professor at the University of Florida. There, she also led the African-American Studies Program for many years. Professor Austin is well-known for her studies on American politics. She focuses on African-American studies, how people get involved in politics, and local politics in cities and rural areas.

Becoming a Political Scientist

Sharon Austin finished high school in Memphis, Tennessee. She then went to Christian Brothers University. In 1987, she earned a bachelor's degree in history. She also studied political science.

She continued her studies at the University of Memphis. In 1989, she earned a master's degree in political science. Later, in 1993, she received her PhD in political science. This degree was from the University of Tennessee. She focused on American Government.

Early in her career, Professor Austin was interested in how African Americans participate in politics. She also wanted to study minority politics in the United States. Sometimes, people told her not to study these topics. They thought these subjects were not valued by top academic journals.

Professor Austin's Work

Professor Austin is a leading expert. She studies how African-American women act in politics. She also researches the elections of African Americans to local government jobs. Her work includes how minority groups behave in American politics. She especially looks at activism among African Americans in rural areas.

After getting her PhD in 1993, Professor Austin became a professor. She taught Pan-African studies at the University of Louisville. In 1995, she moved to the University of Missouri. There, she was a professor of Political Science and Black Studies. In 2001, she taught at the University of Michigan for one year. Then, in 2001, she became a professor at the University of Florida.

Leading African-American Studies

From 2012 to 2019, Professor Austin was the Director of the African-American Studies Program. When she became Director in 2012, the University of Florida started offering a major in African-American Studies. Under her leadership, the program grew a lot. The University of Florida ended up having the most students majoring in African-American Studies in the United States.

Books by Professor Austin

Professor Austin has written several important books. These books explore different aspects of African-American politics.

Race, Power, and Political Emergence in Memphis

In 2000, Professor Austin published her first book. It was called Race, Power, and Political Emergence in Memphis. This book looked at African-American elections in Memphis. It covered the years from the 1870s to the 1990s. The book showed how African Americans faced challenges in politics. It was based on her PhD research.

The Transformation of Plantation Politics in the Mississippi Delta

Her second book came out in 2006. It was titled The Transformation of Plantation Politics in the Mississippi Delta. This book studied politics in the Mississippi Delta region. It showed that wealthy white leaders still controlled politics there. This was true even though many more African Americans were elected to office. For example, in 1970, there were 57 African-American elected officials in Mississippi. By 2000, there were 897. Professor Austin used history, interviews, and data to reach her conclusions.

The Caribbeanization of Black Politics

In 2018, Professor Austin published her third book. It was called The Caribbeanization of Black Politics. This book looked at how Black immigrants from different countries get involved in American politics. She studied cities like Boston, Chicago, Miami, and New York City. She interviewed many people, including African Americans, Cape Verdeans, Haitians, and West Indians. The book showed how a shared racial identity helps minority groups get involved in politics.

Political Black Girl Magic

Her most recent book, Political Black Girl Magic, was published in 2023. This book focuses on the elections and leadership of Black female mayors.

Other Contributions

Professor Austin is also part of the leadership for the American Political Science Review. This is a very important journal in political science. She also often shares her knowledge with newspapers. She is an expert on current American politics. She especially helps people understand African-American political participation.

Awards and Honors

Professor Austin has received several awards for her work:

• University of Florida University-wide Advisor of the Year (2004-2005)
• Best Paper on Blacks and Politics Award, Western Political Science Association (2008)
• Erika Fairchild Award, Women's Caucus of the Southern Political Science Association (2009)
• Colonel Allen R. and Margaret G. Crow Term Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida (2010-2011)