Education
B.A. History, Pomona College
M.A. History, University of Southern California
Ph.D. History, University of Southern California
Biography
Dr. Ornelas-Higdon specializes in the history of California and the West. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, agricultural and labor histories. Her new book, "The Grapes of Conquest: Race, Labor, and the Industrialization of California Wine, 1769-1920," explores California’s 19th century wine industry as a site of conquest and racialization.
Dr. Ornelas-Higdon received her B.A. in History from Pomona College and went on to earn her Ph.D. in History from the University of Southern California. She received a Faculty Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the 2018-2019 academic year. Dr. Ornelas-Higdon is also the proud granddaughter of Braceros, whose experiences as transnational laborers inspired her research. Originally from the Bay Area, her work also draws from the agricultural roots of her hometown.
Representative Courses Taught
- HIST 270 The United States to 1877
- HIST 271 The United States since 1877
- HIST 369 California History and Culture
- HIST 401 Immigration, Race, and Citizenship in the United States
- CHS 350 Chicana/o History and Culture
Scholarship
Keywords
U.S. History, California History, Wine, Agriculture, Race, Labor