It is an honor to be the Fulbright Scholar at Ryudai for the 2003-2004 academic year. I come to Ryudai from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, a school with 3,000 students that specializes in media and communication. Iam an assistant professor of American Studies in the Department of Journalism. I teach 20th century American social and cultural history, in particular classes on social movements, the blues, and the modern city. Prior to teaching, I was a newspaper reporter and producer of historical documentary programs for radio.

My area of research is the blues and social change. I am writing a book on the career of the late Chicago blues singer William "Big Bill" Broonzy. He was a popular recording artist from the 1930s to the 1950s, and left behind a substantial number of written and recorded documents. The book will examine his songs in the context of the African-American migration from rural plantations to urban ghettos. In addition, I am investigating his work as a ﾒblues ambassador,ﾓ spreading the music of a minority group to fans across America and around the world.

While in Japan, I also would like to explore the influence of blues music. I am interested in bands that play the blues and institutions such as clubs and theme cafes that use the music.

In closing, I would like to express my admiration to the group of scholars committed to building a strong American Studies program at Ryudai. It is clear that Okinawa has a special role to play in this field because of its unique historical relationship with the United States. I hope that I can contribute to this enterprise in some modest way during my time here.