Michael Mccormack

Biography

Dr. Michael Brandon McCormack is Professor and Chair of Pan-African Studies and Professor of Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities (Religious Studies) at the University of Louisville. He earned his Ph.D. in Religion from Vanderbilt University in 2013. His research explores the intersections of Black religion, popular culture, the arts, and activism, with publications in leading journals and edited volumes. A former Director of the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, he is recognized for advancing community-engaged scholarship. His leadership and service have been honored nationally, including induction into the Morehouse Collegium of Scholars and Louisville’s Distinguished Faculty Award for Service.

Research Interests

Dr. McCormack’s scholarship examines African American religion and culture at the crossroads of spirituality, art, and activism. He is especially interested in how Black religious thought and practice intersect with popular culture, aesthetics, and social movements. His recent work investigates the interplay of religion with discourses of afro-pessimism, afro-futurism, “Black optimism,” and “Black joy” as forms of resistance. He has published in Black Theology: An International Journal, the Journal of Africana Religions, The Black Scholar, and several edited collections, including Moved By the Spirit: Religion and the Movement for Black Lives.

Degrees and Certifications

Publications

All Scholarly and Creative Works