Dylan O'Hara (she/her) is an African American and urban historian whose research focuses on Black rebellion in the urban northeastern United States. Her current project is titled, '"To choose is to be free": Black Urban Separatism in Boston, 1965-1992.' The work explores the uniquely long lifespan of Black separatism in Boston and the project's connections to Pan African thought, structural development in Black communities, and economic justice. O'Hara's work tracks Black separatist organizers across 30 years to demonstrate the development of the separatist doctrine, as the movement incorporated anti-colonial elements into its worldview. The project's distinctly urban focus draws out the ways that Black separatism in New England was a result of Boston's segregated racial geography, the longevity of the urban crisis in the region, and white violence in the region after 1945.
O'Hara is originally from New England, and is proud and honored to write about her home region. She is currently teaching HST 197, HST 198, and HST 221. She is also a member of the Miami University Choral Collective.
Education
Ph.D. in History, University of Maine
M.A. in History, University of Texas at San Antonio
B.A. in English Literature, Connecticut College
Research Interests
O'Hara's research interests include the intellectual history of Black Power and Black separatism, Black urban rebellion since 1945, the Long Civil Rights Movement, and Pan African thought. Teaching interests include 20th century Black poetry and art, 20th century Black intellectual debate, the Civil Rights Movement, and decolonization in the Atlantic World.
Forthcoming: “‘We Must Begin Here in Boston’: Black Separatist Nationalism in 1960s Massachusetts,” in Global Black Thought (University of Pennsylvania Press), publication expected winter 2026.
