Justin Gomer
Justin Gomer, Ph.D. is Professor of American Studies at CSULB. His work focuses on racial formations, popular culture, and modern United States history.
Dr. Gomer is the author of White Balance: How Hollywood Shaped Colorblind Ideology and Undermined Civil Rights (UNC Press, 2020), which was named one of “The Best Black History Books of 2020” by the African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS). In addition, his work appears in Souls: A Critical Journal of Black Politics, Culture and Society, The Washington Post, Boston Review, and Black Perspectives, among others. His research has been featured on NPR, The New York Times, The Atlantic, USA Today, and elsewhere.
Recent Courses
- AMST 142: Race and Hollywood
- AMST 419: The Suburbs
- AMST 426: The American Studies Mixtape
- AMST 498: Senior Seminar in American Studies
Education
- Ph.D. African American Studies, UC Berkeley
- M.A. African American Studies, UC Berkeley
- B.A. African American Studies, UC Berkeley
Book
- White Balance: How Hollywood Shaped Colorblind Ideology and Undermined Civil Rights. Studies in United States Culture Series. UNC Press, 2020.
Select Publications
- “How Hollywood Pictures Whiteness.” In Whiteness in American Literature and Culture, ed. Jolene Hubbs. Cambridge University Press. 2025.
- “Coaching While Black: The NFL’s Rooney Rule and the Myth of The Pipeline.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Co-Authored with Shaun Ossei-Owusu. 2022.
- “‘Not a racist bone in his body’: The origins of the default defense against racism.” The Washington Post. Co-Authored with Christopher Petrella. 2019
- “How the Reagan Administration Stoked Fears of Anti-White Discrimination.” The Washington Post. Co-Authored with Christopher Petrella. 2017
- “Reagan Used MLK Day to Undermine Racial Justice.” Boston Review. Co-authored with Christopher Petrella. 2017
