Dr. Daphne Lamothe is provost and a professor of Africana Studies at Smith College. Lamothe is a scholar of African American, Afro-Caribbean, and Black transnational literatures, and holds degrees from Yale and UC Berkeley. A faculty member at Smith College since 2004, she contributes to Africana studies, American studies, and the Study of Women and Gender. She plays a pivotal role in achieving Smith’s institutional goals through stewardship of the College’s academic mission.

Her research and teaching explore Black consciousness, identity, and cultural belonging through topics like the Harlem Renaissance, migration narratives, and urban Black experiences.

Lamothe holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Yale University and a doctorate in English from the University of California, Berkeley.