Lucy Caplan is an interdisciplinary historian of music, race, and culture in the United States. Her research and teaching interests include African American music, opera and musical theater, and cultural criticism. At present, she is writing a book about how early-twentieth-century African Americans redefined the genre of opera as a wellspring of antiracist activism, collective sociality, and aesthetic innovation. In conjunction with her academic work, Prof. Caplan enjoys writing program notes, creating educational materials for arts organizations, and speaking for public audiences. Her research and writing have been supported by the Society for American Music, the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, and the Howard Foundation at Brown University. 

Before coming to WPI, Prof. Caplan was a Lecturer and Assistant Director of Studies in the History and Literature program at Harvard University. She holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and African American Studies from Yale University. Outside of work, Prof. Caplan enjoys running, baking, and playing chamber music.