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UA Little Rock Historian to Share Research in Evenings with History Series

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Dr. Katrina Yeaw, a professor of history at UA Little Rock, will present her research on Feb. 4 as part of the university’s Evenings with History Series.

Her presentation, “Finding Girls in the Archives: The Case of Fekiriyeh and Renghi Sefa,” will focus on two enslaved girls from Sudan who escaped their enslaver in 1854 and sought out refuge in the house of the British Consul in Salonica.

“This presentation will use their experiences as a case study for exploring the experiences of non-elite girls and women in the Middle East and how they are recorded in European archives,” Yeaw said.

Yeaw received her Ph.D. from Georgetown University in modern Middle Eastern and North African history. Her research interests include colonialism, gender, race, and resistance and collaboration.

Yeaw hopes to clear up common misunderstandings regarding the Middle East and North Africa.

“I hope it encourages curiosity and for my audience to learn more about the region,” she said. “My research holds great significance for me because I study non-elite women who resisted European colonialism and other forms of oppression. These voices are often absent from historical narratives, especially regarding the Middle East and North Africa. I am particularly interested in the parallels between the past and the contemporary moment, especially concerning violence.”

Yeaw’s presentation will be held in the Ottenheimer Auditorium at the Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third Street in Little Rock. Refreshments are served at 7 p.m., and the presentation begins at 7:30 p.m.