Dr. Jody Sowell was appointed as the Missouri Historical Society (MHS) president and chief executive officer in 2022. He has served in various roles at MHS, most recently as Managing Director of Public History, since 2006.

While serving as Director of Exhibitions and Research, Sowell was instrumental in the Missouri Historical Society’s conscious decision to develop more exhibits in-house that shared local history in innovative ways, rather than relying on traveling shows. This approach led to some of the highest attendance years in MHS history. In his six years as Director of Exhibitions, the Missouri History Museum opened 8 of the 10 most visited exhibits in its more-than-100-year history. Those exhibits included 250 in 250, #1 in Civil Rights: The African American Freedom Struggle in St. Louis, The Louisiana Purchase, and A Walk in 1875 St. Louis.

During his time as Managing Director of Public History, Sowell was crucial in leading the Missouri Historical Society’s approach to sharing history during the COVID-19 pandemic and temporary closure of MHS’s three locations. Sowell was the project manager and writer of the Missouri History Museum’s popular #UpliftingSTL social media series.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Sowell holds a doctorate of philosophy in American Studies from Saint Louis University and teaches regularly at Saint Louis University and Fontbonne University. He also holds a master of arts in journalism from the University of Missouri and a bachelor of arts from Southern Methodist University. Sowell is a member of the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) and has served as a judge for AASLH’s Award of Merit. He is a member of the American Alliance of Museums and currently serves on the Community Advisory Board for KDHX.

Learn more about Dr. Jody Sowell