Niambi Carter

Niambi Carter is an American political scientist, author, and media commentator. She is an associate professor of political science at the University of Maryland, known for her expertise in African American political behavior, public opinion, and immigration. Her book, American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship, examines Black attitudes toward immigration and the intersection of race and national identity.{{Cite web |title=Niambi Carter |url=https://spp.umd.edu/our-community/faculty-staff/niambi-carter |website=University of Maryland School of Public Policy |access-date=June 10, 2025}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Niambi Carter

| birth_place = Maryland

| nationality = American

| education = Temple University (B.A.), Duke University (Ph.D.)

| alma_mater = Duke University

| occupation = Political scientist, author, media commentator

| known_for = African American political behavior, immigration, race and political identity

| title = Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland

}}

Early life and education

Carter was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies from Temple University and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in political science from Duke University in 2007. Her dissertation focused on African Americans, immigration, and race. {{Cite web |title=Niambi Carter |website=Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/niambi-carter |access-date=June 10, 2025}} {{Cite web |title=Niambi Carter CV |website=Maryland Population Research Center |url=https://www.popcenter.umd.edu/mprc-associates/nmcarter/niambi-carter-cv/at_download/file |access-date=June 10, 2025}}

Academic career

Carter began her academic career as a visiting assistant professor at Duke University, followed by a fellowship at Denison University. She later held faculty appointments at Purdue University, Temple University, and Howard University, where she was promoted to associate professor and served as Director of Graduate Studies. Carter joined the University of Maryland, College Park in 2022 as associate professor of political science and a faculty affiliate in African American Studies.{{Cite web |title=Niambi Carter |website=University of Maryland School of Public Policy |url=https://spp.umd.edu/our-community/faculty-staff/niambi-carter |access-date=June 10, 2025}} {{Cite web |title=Niambi Carter CV |website=Maryland Population Research Center |url=https://www.popcenter.umd.edu/mprc-associates/nmcarter/niambi-carter-cv/at_download/file |access-date=June 10, 2025}} {{cite web |title=Dr. Niambi Carter – Journal Editorial Board |url=https://www.cbcfinc.org/team/journal-editorial-board/dr-niambi-carter/ |website=Congressional Black Caucus Foundation |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

Fellowships and affiliations

Predoctoral Fellow, Ford Foundation
Predoctoral Fellow, Consortium for Faculty Diversity
Fellow, Center for the Study of African American Politics
Good Authority Fellow (2024–25){{Cite web |title=Good Authority fellows |url=https://goodauthority.org/people/niambi-m-carter/ |access-date=June 10, 2025}}

Awards and honors

W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished Book Award, National Conference of Black Political Scientists (2020), for American While Black. {{cite web |title=2020 Award Winners |url=https://www.ncobps.org/annual-meeting/annual-meeting-52/award-winners#DuBois |website=National Conference of Black Political Scientists |access-date=June 11, 2025}}
Centennial Fellow, American Political Science Association (2018).
Howard University Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2017. {{cite web |title=Dr. Niambi Carter Talks about Her Path to Becoming a Professor at Howard University |website=Political Science Now |url=https://politicalsciencenow.com/dr-niambi-carter-talks-about-her-path-to-becoming-a-professor-at-howard-university/ |access-date=June 11, 2025}}
APSA Congressional Fellowship (declined), 2015.
Alternative Textbook Project Recipient, Temple University, 2013.
James Weldon Johnson Institute Visiting Scholar, Emory University (declined), 2012.

Media

=Appearances=

C-SPAN: In 2018, Carter’s televised interviews and expert commentary were featured and archived by C-SPAN.{{cite web |title=Niambi Carter |url=https://www.c-span.org/person/niambi-carter/114115/ |website=C-SPAN |access-date=June 12, 2025}}
NPR: In 2009, Carter appeared on Tell Me More with Michel Martin to discuss challenges faced by highly educated Black women in the marriage market.{{cite news |title=Black Women: Successful And Still Unmarried |newspaper=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2009/09/04/112550626/black-women-successful-and-still-unmarried |date=September 4, 2009}}
Political Science Now: In 2017, Carter discussed her career path and academic work, including her leadership role at Howard University.{{cite web |title=Dr. Niambi Carter Talks about Her Path to Becoming a Professor at Howard University |website=Political Science Now |url=https://politicalsciencenow.com/dr-niambi-carter-talks-about-her-path-to-becoming-a-professor-at-howard-university/ |date=August 22, 2017 |access-date=June 12, 2025}}
PBS: In 2021, she discussed her academic journey and Black identity on The Journey.{{cite news |title=The Journey w/ Niambi Carter |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/the-journey-wniambi-carter-202-4xnjae/ |publisher=PBS |date=April 14, 2021}}
WUSA-9: In January 2025, Carter explained the context and pace of executive orders early in a presidential term.{{cite news |title=University of Maryland professor provides context to presidential executive orders process |newspaper=WUSA‑9 |url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/university-of-maryland-professor-provides-context-to-presidential-executive-orders-process/65-6a239b54-b54d-4df7-9f4f-cbdeaa435c42 |date=January 23, 2025}}
MSNBC: In 2025, Carter discussed the evolving dynamics of U.S. national identity and political polarization.{{cite news |title=How Black political identity shifts post-2024 elections |newspaper=MSNBC |url=https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/ncna1286524 |date=June 2025}}

=Print=

Wilson Center: In 2024, Carter wrote about the global dimensions of race and politics, emphasizing how African American experiences shape international dialogue.{{cite web |title=Niambi Carter on the Complex Tapestry of Race, Politics, and Global Connections |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/niambi-carter-complex-tapestry-race-politics-and-global-connections |website=Wilson Center |date=March 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610183000/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/niambi-carter-complex-tapestry-race-politics-and-global-connections |archive-date=June 10, 2024}}
Good Authority: In 2023, Carter wrote about the historic rise of Black women in the United States Senate.{{cite news |title=Alsobrooks and Rochester: Two Black Women New U.S. Senators |publisher=Good Authority |url=https://goodauthority.org/news/us-senate-alsobrooks-rochester-two-black-women-new-senators/ |date=December 3, 2023}}
The Washington Post: In 2020, she authored an opinion piece on the federal government’s response to protests in Washington, D.C..{{cite news |title=D.C. is the one city where Trump can indulge his police and military fantasies |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/05/dc-is-one-city-where-trump-can-indulge-his-police-military-fantasies/ |date=June 5, 2020}}
CNN: In 2020, Carter commented on the MOVE bombing and the city’s apology.{{cite news |title=Cities reckon with past atrocities against Black people but experts say it won’t cause actual reform |newspaper=CNN |url=https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/11/17/us/philadelphia-move-bombing-apology-other-cities |date=November 17, 2020}}
The Washington Post: "D.C. is the one city where Trump can indulge his police and military fantasies", June 5, 2020{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Niambi M. |title=D.C. is the one city where Trump can indulge his police and military fantasies |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 5, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/05/dc-is-one-city-where-trump-can-indulge-his-police-military-fantasies/ |access-date=June 11, 2025}}
The Grio: "What we have to lose with Trump: Fair and compassionate immigration policy", August 19, 2020{{cite web |last=Carter |first=Niambi M. |title=What we have to lose with Trump: Fair and compassionate immigration policy |website=The Grio |date=August 19, 2020 |url=https://thegrio.com/2020/08/19/what-we-have-to-lose-trump-immigration/ |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

Selected works

{{cite book

|last=Carter

|first=Niambi

|title=American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship

|publisher=Oxford University Press

|year=2019

|isbn=9780190053543

}}

= Synopsis =

In American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship, Niambi Carter examines how African Americans view U.S. immigration policy. Drawing on surveys and interviews, she argues that their attitudes are shaped by racial identity, group threat perceptions, and historical exclusion. Rather than being indifferent or hostile, Carter shows that Black views on immigration are nuanced, strategic, and grounded in broader struggles for justice and inclusion.

=Reception=

In Political Psychology, David L. Leal discussed Carter’s analysis in the context of American public opinion on immigration, emphasizing the book’s insights into the relationship between racial identity and attitudes among Black Americans.{{cite journal |last=Leal |first=David L. |title=Values and Prejudice in American Opinion about Immigration |journal=Political Psychology |year=2025 |doi=10.1111/pops.70021 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pops.70021}}
Writing in the National Review of Black Politics, Najja K. Baptist described the book as a valuable contribution to the literature on Black public opinion and immigration, noting its role in correcting common misunderstandings in the field.{{cite journal |last=Baptist |first=Najja K. |title=Book Review: American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship |journal=National Review of Black Politics |volume=2 |issue=3–4 |pages=534–537 |year=2021 |doi=10.1017/nrb.2021.26 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/national-review-of-black-politics/article/abs/american-while-black-african-americans-immigration-and-the-limits-of-citizenship-by-niambi-carter-new-york-oxford-university-press-2019-256-pp-8995-isbn-9780190050447/9E84C6E8E3363F1B671B9C4A822767C2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611121254/https://online.ucpress.edu/nrbp/article-abstract/2/3-4/217/119004/Review-American-While-Black-African-Americans?redirectedFrom=fulltext |archive-date=June 11, 2024}}
A review published on ResearchGate discussed the book’s exploration of Black identity in the context of immigration, emphasizing its detailed examination of how these topics intersect in U.S. policy.{{cite web |title=Review: American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship by Niambi Michele Carter |website=ResearchGate |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372806542_Review_American_While_Black_African_Americans_Immigration_and_the_Limits_of_Citizenship_by_Niambi_Michele_Carter}}
Lauren Henley, writing for Not Even Past, characterized the book as a meaningful addition to research on Black public opinion, noting its relevance to ongoing scholarly discussions on race and immigration.{{cite web |last=Henley |first=Lauren |title=American While Black by Niambi Michele Carter |website=Not Even Past |date=January 11, 2022 |url=https://notevenpast.org/american-while-black-by-niambi-michele-carter/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611122212/https://notevenpast.org/american-while-black-by-niambi-michele-carter/ |archive-date=June 11, 2024}}
Ethnic Studies Review also noted the book’s contribution to understanding how Black identity influences perspectives on immigration policy.{{cite web |title=Review: American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship |url=https://online.ucpress.edu/esr/article/46/1-2/241/196901/Review-American-While-Black-African-Americans |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611140000/https://online.ucpress.edu/esr/article/46/1-2/241/196901/Review-American-While-Black-African-Americans |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

Selected publications

Title	Journal/Publisher	Year	Role	Citations	Reference
class="wikitable sortable"
Gender and black presidential politics: from Chisholm to Moseley Braun	Journal of Women, Politics & Policy	2005	Co-author	32	{{cite web \|title=Gender and black presidential politics: from Chisholm to Moseley Braun \|url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ:u5HHmVD_uO8C \|website=Google Scholar \|access-date=June 11, 2025}}
Racial distancing in a southern city: Latino immigrants' views of Black Americans	The Journal of Politics	2006	Co-author	454
Black Americans and Latino immigrants in a southern city: Friendly neighbors or economic competitors?	Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race	2007	Co-author	82
Moving from victims to victors: African American attitudes on the “culture of poverty” and Black blame	Journal of African American Studies	2012	Co-author	39
Race and nation: How racial hierarchy shapes national attachments	Political Psychology	2016	Co-author	90

{{cite web |title=Racial distancing in a southern city: Latino immigrants' views of Black Americans |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ:u5HHmVD_uO8C |website=Google Scholar |access-date=June 11, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Race and nation: How racial hierarchy shapes national attachments |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ:v1_lew4L6wgC |website=Google Scholar |access-date=June 11, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Black Americans and Latino immigrants in a southern city: Friendly neighbors or economic competitors? |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ:u-x6o8ySG0sC |website=Google Scholar |access-date=June 11, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Moving from victims to victors: African American attitudes on the “culture of poverty” and Black blame |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ:F2UWTTQJPOcC |website=Google Scholar |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

All publications can be referenced via this link.{{Cite web |title=Niambi Carter – Publications |website=Google Scholar |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=DeoXQ7EAAAAJ |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

Legacy and impact

Niambi Carter’s scholarship has significantly influenced the study of African American political behavior, public opinion, and immigration. Her book, American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship, has been widely cited in academic discourse on race, citizenship, and national identity in the United States.{{cite book |last=Carter |first=Niambi |title=American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2019 |isbn=9780190053543}}

Carter’s research has been referenced across disciplines including political science, sociology, and African American studies. In recognition of its scholarly impact, American While Black received the W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished Book Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists.{{cite web |title=2020 Award Winners |url=https://www.ncobps.org/annual-meeting/annual-meeting-52/award-winners#DuBois |website=National Conference of Black Political Scientists |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

Her work continues to shape academic and public conversations about Black identity, immigration, and the meaning of citizenship in contemporary America.