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Dr. Black's recently published book, Branding Trust: Advertising & Trademarks in Nineteenth-Century America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024), traces the development of trademark-centered advertising in the US from the early nineteenth century through 1920.

Jennifer Black is a historian of visual and material culture, with a particular focus on the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the United States. She holds a PhD in American History and Visual Studies from the University of Southern California, as well as an MA in Public History and a BA in Art History from Western Michigan University. Her research examines ways in which people interact with images and objects, and the power of visual and material culture to influence trends in politics, the law, and society. In addition to teaching a variety of courses in American history, public history, and visual culture, she also serves as Book Reviews Editor for H-Material Culture, and on the Board of Editors for Enterprise & Society. Dr. Black also has several years’ experience working as a public historian, including work for large and small public institutions such as the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Her work as a historical consultant has included clients such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Cengage Learning, Inc. Finally, Dr. Black supervises a variety of public history activities at Misericordia, including student-led exhibits, mapping projects, and oral histories.