Before joining the professorate, he was a public school teacher in Alabama for 6 ½ years. During his time as a social studies teacher in Alabama, he was awarded the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) “Defense of Academic Freedom Award” for his work teaching alternative histories. His research and writing interests are in the areas of social studies education and methods, critical race theory, civic literacy, academic freedom, and authentic social studies pedagogy. He has also worked as an adjunct professor of geography at The University of North Alabama. Some of his published work has appeared in Social Education, The Journal of Social Studies Research, Social Studies Research and Practice, and Teacher Education Quarterly. Untitled Document