Dr. Casey D. Nichols is originally from Long Beach, California, which inspired her research interests in African American and Latinx urban history. After graduating from Long Beach Polytechnic High School, she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). As a comprehensive state university, CSULB provided Dr. Nichols with a well-rounded education that required study in a variety of disciplines. She participated in the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program as an undergraduate, which prepared Dr. Nichols for her Master of Arts in history at the University of Washington, Seattle and her PhD in history at Stanford University.

Dr. Nichols currently holds a position as Assistant Professor of History at Texas State University. In the classroom, her courses include African American History: From Freedom to Black Lives Matter, US Social Justice and Reform Movements, Race Riots and Rebellions in 20th Century Urban America, Race and Ethnicity in Comparative Perspective, and US History Since 1877.