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Austin Zinkle
Postdoctoral Scholar, Civil Rights and Restorative Justice in Kentucky Clinic

Austin Zinkle is a postdoctoral scholar affiliated with the Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies and the J. David Rosenberg College of Law, co-leading the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice in Kentucky legal clinic. Dr. Zinkle holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Kentucky where he studied twentieth century United States social movements, with an emphasis on youth activism. Originally from Knoxville, TN, he graduated from Auburn University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Master of Arts in history from the University of Kentucky in 2017. Dr. Zinkle's earlier research explored African American youth activism in Kentucky during the 1940s and 1950s, arguing that demonstrations and protests by NAACP Youth Councils in the border state not only articulated more radical anti-racist activism than older, adult organizers, but the work from these Youth Councils expanded the timeline of progressive youth demonstrations against civil and social injustices decades prior to the 1960 sit-ins. His Ph.D. dissertation continued a research interest on young people and detailed the rise and evolution of radical racist right youth activism during the 1960s and 1970s. In his spare time, Austin enjoys playing his piano, basketball, and cheering on all things Auburn Tigers. 

 

Contact Information
austin.zinkle@uky.edu
106 Breckinridge Hall
Education
Ph.D., University of Kentucky, 2023

M.A., University of Kentucky, 2017

B.A., Auburn University, 2015

Research Interests
  • 20th century United States history
  • Youth Activism
  • Black Freedom Struggle
  • United States Social Movements
  • United States Conservatism
  • American South
Affiliations
  • History
  • Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies
  • African American and Africana Studies