{"id":7101,"date":"2026-10-16T15:15:47","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T20:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/history\/?p=7101"},"modified":"2026-10-16T15:15:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T20:15:49","slug":"faculty-news-fall-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/history\/faculty-news-fall-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Faculty News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

New Faculty Alert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Professor
Professor Xin Yu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Please help us in welcoming Professor Xin Yu<\/a>, Assistant Professor, Buck Professor of Chinese History to UWM.
Professor Yu joined the department after completing his PhD in 2022 from Washington University in St. Louis and was drawn to UWM by the strong sense of community he experienced during his campus visit. His research focuses on the history of Chinese family genealogies, exploring how economic change, globalization and social status shaped family identity over the past 500 years.

With his vast academic experience and studies in both China and the United States, Professor Yu brings a personal global perspective to his teaching and studies to the department.

When he\u2019s not researching or teaching, he enjoys shooting hoops and working on his basketball skills. We’ve heard the Bucks might need a replacement soon\ud83d\udc40

We’re excited to have him as part of the UWM History community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UWM Remembers Historian David D. Buck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Professor
Professor David Buck<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee community mourns the loss of David Douglas Buck, professor emeritus of history and a longtime supporter of the university. Buck passed away on March 6, 2026, in Milwaukee at the age of 89.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A respected scholar of modern Chinese history, Buck dedicated more than three decades to teaching and research at UWM. Joining the university in 1972, he spent 32 years as a faculty member in the Department of History, where he taught courses on Chinese history and international affairs and mentored generations of students. He also served as chair of the department for nine years and was widely recognized for his leadership and contributions to the field of Asian history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in Denver, Colorado, on December 31, 1936, Buck developed an early interest in Asian languages and cultures while studying at Stanford University, where he earned his bachelor\u2019s degree. He went on to receive a master\u2019s degree in Chinese history from Harvard University before serving as an officer in the United States Navy, stationed in Okinawa, Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his time in Okinawa, Buck met his future wife, Diane Ratty, who was teaching there with the American Dependents Schools. After completing his military service, he returned to Stanford to earn his Ph.D. in modern Chinese history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout his academic career, Buck was known for his wide-ranging scholarship and international engagement. He published numerous articles on Asian history and culture, including the book Urban Change in China: Politics and Development in Tsinan, Shantung, 1890\u20131949. From 1990 to 1995, he served as editor of the Journal of Asian Studies, the flagship publication of the Association for Asain Studies. He also taught abroad at universities in Taiwan, China, Japan and England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buck\u2019s passion for sharing global perspectives extended beyond the classroom. Over the years, he led more than 20 trips to China for American travelers, including tours organized by the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, helping participants gain a deeper cultural and historical understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After retiring from UWM in 2002, Buck continued his commitment to community service through the Buck Foundation, supporting initiatives focused on revitalizing urban green spaces and expanding housing opportunities for underserved communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buck remained deeply connected to UWM throughout his life. Together with his wife Diane, he supported many areas of the university, including the establishment of the David D. Buck Professorship in Chinese History, which continues to advance scholarship and teaching in Chinese history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buck is survived by his wife of 62 years, Diane Buck; his sons Douglas and Andrew; his grandchildren Jane, Charlotte and Arthur; and his sister Carol Dettmann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through his scholarship, mentorship and generosity, Buck leaves a lasting legacy at UWM and within the broader community of scholars dedicated to the study of Asian history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marcus Allen: Uncovering Overlooked Histories Through Research and Teaching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Professor
Professor Marcus Allen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee History Department welcomes Assistant Professor Dr. Marcus Allen<\/a>, whose work brings new depth to the study of African American history through an economic lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Allen\u2019s path to UWM reflects more than a decade of persistence, movement, and scholarly growth. Over the course of his career, he has served as a lecturer, adjunct instructor, visiting professor, and postdoctoral scholar, gaining experience across institutions and refining both his research and teaching. Most recently, he held appointments at the National Humanities Center in North Carolina and Case Western Reserve University, where he continued to develop his work in African American history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the center of Dr. Allen\u2019s scholarship is his ongoing book project, which examines Black depositors in a white-owned savings bank in Baltimore between 1850 and 1900. Drawing from savings account records, personal inventories, and wills, he reconstructs the financial and material lives of African Americans during the antebellum and postbellum periods. His research offers a more expansive understanding of the 19th century, one that moves beyond narratives focused solely on hardship to also highlight financial strategy, resilience, and economic agency within Black communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of history that still needs to be uncovered,\u201d Dr. Allen explains. \u201cWe have to be careful about drawing strong conclusions, because there may be history out there that changes how we understand things.\u201d This perspective shapes his approach to both research and teaching, emphasizing the importance of continued discovery and critical inquiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Allen\u2019s work also extends beyond academic spaces. He was recently featured on Black Nouveau<\/em>, where he discussed his research on Black economic life and the importance of uncovering overlooked histories. In the interview, he highlights how examining financial records and everyday economic decisions can reshape our understanding of the past and reveal stories that have long gone unrecognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Marcus Allen on Black Nouveau<\/a><\/blockquote>