Joseph Abel

Joseph Abel, PhD, is a historian of twentieth century American labor and the curator for industry and engineering. His collection currently contains more than 500 artifacts related to the history of aeronautical engineering and wind tunnel testing, including scale models, wind tunnel components, and instruments. In addition to maintaining and expanding these important holdings, he is acquiring artifacts and documents that detail the histories of working people and labor unions in aviation, particularly those involved with aircraft manufacturing and air traffic control. He also serves as a curatorial team member for three upcoming exhibition galleries and is currently the Aeronautics Department liaison to NASA.

Dr. Abel earned a PhD in history from Rice University, an MA in history from Texas A&M University, and a BA in history from the University of Houston. His current research examines the history of aircraft manufacturing in North Texas since World War II and the struggles that have been waged between working people, labor unions, corporate leaders, and the federal government over equal access to the industry's high-paying jobs. His writing has been featured in numerous publications, including the Journal of Southern History, the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, and various edited collections.

Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Dr. Abel held administrative, curatorial, and faculty positions with the American Battlefield Trust, the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the National Labor College, and the Center for Labor Research & Studies at Florida International University. He was also the Summerlee Fellow for Texas History at Southern Methodist University's Clements Center for Southwest Studies, and an independent museum exhibitions consultant.