Events
Dr. David Ponton Book Launch
The School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, Institute on Black Life and the Racial Justice Initiative will host the launch of Dr. David Ponton, III new book, "Houston and the Permanence of Segregation: An Afropessimist Approach to Urban History.” Dr. Ponton challenges the perception of the post-1950s Supreme Court decisions as immediate civil rights victories for racial minorities. Contrary to the notion of a "raceless democracy" celebrated by black Houstonians, Ponton argues that these decades were, in fact, "decades of capture." Examining the intersections of gender, race, law, and violence, Ponton reveals how these factors constrained individuals and perpetuated segregation in Houston. Despite Houston's current status as one of the most racially diverse cities, Ponton's study underscores the enduring and stark reality of segregation, providing insights into its persistence and offering tools for envisioning alternative possibilities.
Meet the Author
Dr. David Ponton III is a historian of Afro-America and the twentieth century United States. Ponton has been an assistant professor at the University of South Florida since 2017, primarily teaching in areas of Africana Studies, has been serving as the Undergraduate Director for SIGS since 2021, and is affiliate faculty with the Institute for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the Department of Women's and Gender Studies. Ponton received his A.B. degree from Princeton University with a religious studies concentration and certificates in African American Studies and 6-12 social studies education. After teaching high school history for three years, Ponton earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in History at Rice University with a graduate certificate in the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality.