Laura Murray is a teacher, oral historian, writer and activist. She is a professor in the Department of English and in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University, with research focussing on Southern Ontario treaty and Indigenous history, 19^th century American literature, oral and community history, and copyright and cultural policy.

Laura was the director of the Swamp Ward and Inner Harbour History Project, documenting Kingston’s lesser-known 20^th century industrial and working-class history through interviews with community members. Laura’s project culminated in a blog, a podcast, Stories of the Swamp Ward, and a community-wide photo exhibit.

Her current work centers on understanding Kingston’s complex treaty history and rethinking its attachment to 19^th century political history; she teaches a course entitled “Unsettling Kingston/Ka’tarohkwi”.

Laura is also a cellist and was a member of the local band The Swamp Ward Orchestra. She has lived in Kingston for 20 years.

Appearing in: 14. The Importance of Oral Histories in Reframing History