Mia Mask

Professor of Film on the Mary Riepma Ross '32 Chair
Mia L. Mask wearing a beige shot sleeve shirt with trees in the background.

Mia Mask, Professor of Film, received her PhD from New York University. At Vassar College, Ms. Mask teaches African American cinema, Documentary History, seminars on special topics such as the horror film, and auteurs like Spike Lee, Charles Burnett and Ava DuVernay. She also teaches feminist film theory, African national cinemas, and genre courses. Her commentary can be heard on NPR.

BA, Tufts University; MA, PhD, New York University
At Vassar since 2000

Contact

845-437-5244
Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film
Box 628

Research and Academic Interests

African American Cinema
Documentary History
Feminist Film Theory
African National Cinemas

Departments and Programs

Courses

AFRS/FILM 232 African American Cinema

Grants, Fellowships, Honors, Awards

Mia Mask is the Author of “Black Rodeo: A History of the African American Western”
Mia Mask, The Mary Riepma Ross Professor of Film, is the author of “Black Rodeo: A History of the African American Western” published for 2023 by University of Illinois Press. The new book examines the African American western hero in the broader context of film history by considering how African American westerns evolved and approached various goals.

In the Media

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Krystle McLaughlin sitting at a table in front of microphones

Students, administrators, alums, and others in the Vassar community enjoyed a plethora of events in observation of Black History Month, included  exhibitions, a panel on STEM-related fields, a dinner, and an update of the Buildings and Belonging project, focused on the history of African Americans on campus.

Photos

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