Dr. Hector Montford
Education
Ph.D. in History (2016), Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
Major Field, U.S. History Since 1865
Minor Fields in Latin American History and U.S. War and Society
Dissertation: “The Best of Friends and Neighbors: U.S. Public Diplomacy in Cuba, 1953-1961”
Certificate in Archival Studies (2011), Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
M.A. in History (2006), University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida
Emphasis in Public History
B.S. in History and Political Science (1998), Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Teaching and Research Interests / Recent Publications or Scholarly Output
Areas of academic interest include U.S. History Since 1865, U.S. Cold War History, U.S. Diplomatic History, Latin American History, and Public History.
Recent Scholarly Projects and Exhibits:
Coastal African American Historic Preservation Commission Exhibit, 2024
鈥⑩�淢ore than a Classroom: Segregated Education in Brunswick鈥�
Newcastle Street Revitalization Project, 2023
鈥hrough a fellowship awarded by the 海角社区, conducted a series of oral history interviews of local government officials and business owners important to the revitalization of Newcastle Street in Downtown Brunswick. Using these oral histories, along with archival research, developed a digital story map of the history of the topic, highlighting significant projects and initiatives associated with the history of the downtown revitalization.
Coastal Georgia Funeral Programs Digitization Project, 2022
鈥orking with students, digitized almost two dozen funeral programs of local African Americans and placed their programs online for public viewing. The funeral programs project will be useful for future genealogical research.
Marshes of Glynn Libraries Oral History Project, 2022
鈥ith assistance from students, conducted an oral history project with former staff of the Marshes of Glynn Library to document the organization鈥檚 history.
Forward Brunswick 鈥淟iberty Brunswick鈥� Project, 2021
鈥erved as a member of the organization鈥檚 鈥淪tory Team鈥� to develop historical narratives related to the Brunswick Shipyard in operation during WWII for Forward Brunswick鈥檚 effort to plant 99 trees in honor of the ships constructed in the yard during the war. Narratives will be featured with newly planted trees on selected sites around the city.
Gullah 鈥� Geechee Archives (Working Title), 2021
鈥erve as Co-Chair of a nascent committee tasked with developing a strategy to establish a repository for African American historical materials related to the Brunswick, Georgia, region.
Glynn Environmental Coalition Oral History, 2021
鈥onducted oral history interviews of member of the Glynn Environmental Coalition to document organizational history of the group.
Risley High School Digitization Project, 2021
鈥ith the aid of students, digitized photographic collection and historical materials related to the segregated Risley High School in Brunswick, Georgia, to help preserve the history of the school.
鈥ploaded digital scans of photographs and materials to an online database to allow public access to the collection.
海角社区 Student Veterans Oral History Project, 2020
鈥erved as the coordinator for a series of interviews between students and 海角社区 student-veterans, monitoring the interviews and assisting students as they conducted their oral histories.
Brunswick African American Cultural Center Oral History Project, 2020
鈥ith assistance from students, conducted oral history project on the Brunswick, Georgia, African American Community, focusing on events and experiences from the 1950s to the 1970s. Topics include the local Civil Rights Movement, segregation and desegregation of local educational and recreational facilities, and documenting the historically Black neighborhoods of the city.
RECENT PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Society of Georgia Archivists:, 2024
鈥irtual Video Presentation: 鈥淭he Benefits and Challenges of Using Undergraduate Interns in Local Archives鈥�
Georgia Association of Historians, 2024
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淭he Newcastle Street Revitalization Oral History Project鈥�
Digital Library of Georgia Workshop, 2023:
鈥irtual Presentation: 鈥淭he Value of Preserving the Past for Students and the Community鈥�
Conference on the Americas Council Annual Conference, 2023
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淪tressing Progress: The US Information Agency鈥檚 Effort to Explain Segregation and the Civil Rights Movement in the US to the Cuban Public in the 1950s鈥�
Society of Georgia Archivists Annual Conference, 2022
鈥aper Presentation: Preserving Local History with the Help of Undergraduate Research
Coastal Scholars Showcase, 2022
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淭he Value of Local History to Students and the Community鈥�
Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Annual Conference, 2020 (Meeting canceled due to COVID-19)
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淭he Meat in the Political Sandwich: Promoting Science, Technology, and Culture in the USIA鈥檚 Public Diplomacy Message in Cuba, 1953-1960.鈥�
Recent Community Presentations:
Coastal Georgia Historical Society Brunswick Lecture Series, 2025
鈥aper Presentation 鈥淏runswick鈥檚 New Deal鈥�
Friends of Jekyll Island Presentation, 2025
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淛ekyll Island鈥檚 Entertainment Venues in the Early State Period鈥�
Marshes Edge Presentation Community Presentation, 2024
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淧relude to Crisis: US Aerial Reconnaissance Over Cuba Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis鈥�
Coastal Georgia Historical Society Brunswick Lecture Series, 2024
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淏y God I鈥檓 Going to Brazil: The 1927 Paul Redfern Flight鈥�
Jekyll Island MOSAIC Museum Guest Lecture, 2024
鈥aper Presentation: 鈥淛ekyll Island鈥檚 Entertainment Venues in the Early State Period鈥�
Coastal Georgia Historical Society Brunswick Lecture Series, 2023
鈥ultimedia Presentation: 鈥淭he Risley School: Creating Community in a Segregated City鈥�