Jessie Morgan Owens is a scholar, educator, and writer with 15 years experience teaching and practicing participatory writing pedagogies. She received her BA in photojournalism and creative writing from Loyola University New Orleans and her doctorate in American literature from New York University. She is the author of the book Girl in Black and White: the story of Mary Mildred Williams (Norton 2019), which traces the influence of photography in the campaign to abolish slavery in the US.
Her research in photography and abolition has been supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant and a residency at the Newhouse Center for the Humanities at Wellesley College. She currently is the Dean of Studies and director of curriculum at Bard Early College in New Orleans. In addition to her academic work in photography, Jessie shoots professionally with the award winning team Morgan & Owens. Originally from Monroe, LA, Jessie lives in New Orleans with her family.