Manuel Grajales

• 20th Century Latinx History
• U.S. History
• Social Movement History

I am a historian of 20th-century Latinx History interested in the processes of social and political coalition building over questions over citizenship and military service. My research investigates how Puerto Ricans developed anti-war strategies that rejected the notion of military service as a method to attain social and economic equality during the second half of the 20th century. In an era of hyper-patriotism that demanded military participation as a mark of civic duty, my research investigates how a multiracial and multiethnic coalition of religious and political dissenters shaped their resistance as an interrogation of U.S. society's contradictory messages of freedom and liberty.

I received my Ph.D. in History from Texas A&M University in August 2022. Additionally, I received my Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in History from Texas A&M University-Commerce. I have experience as an instructor of record, teaching survey-level U.S. History courses at Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University, and Lone Star College-CyFair. Aside from U.S. History surveys, my teaching interests include 20th-century Puerto Rican History, Mexican American History, Latina/o/x History, Modern Latin American History, Comparative Social Movements, anti-war and peace struggles, and the politics and culture of Sports.

I am passionate about teaching and engaging with students about History. I try to implement my own historical curiosity and knowledge of pop culture into my teaching, using Social and Cultural History to find connections that students identify with. My overall objective as an educator is to create an environment that allows non-majors to understand the social, political, and cultural elements of History that still impact their present while also assisting the development of history majors toward their future careers.

UNT Faculty Profile