Writer | Historian | Public Policy Professional
Christopher D. Chavis
I am a writer, historian, and public policy professional whose work explores the relationships between history, community, and American life. My interests range from baseball and the history of sporting venues to rural access to justice, public policy, and the institutions that shape communities. Across these subjects, I am particularly interested in the stories of overlooked people and places and the historical forces that continue to influence our lives. Through my research, books, and writing, I seek to connect the experiences of individual communities to the broader American story.
“Connecting the experiences of individual communities to the broader American story.”
New Book
New England Pivot: The Red Sox and the Region in 1972
McFarland
A close examination of the Boston Red Sox and New England during the pivotal 1972 season — a year marked by the first players' strike in Major League Baseball history, a pennant race that came down to the final days, and a region in the midst of profound social and economic change. Drawing on archival research and contemporary accounts, this book explores how a baseball season became a lens through which to understand a region and a nation at a crossroads.
Order from McFarland →
Selected Writing
Research & Published Work
Maine Law Review
Rural Access to Justice
Published research examining the shortage of rural attorneys, the structural barriers to legal representation in rural communities, and the policy implications of growing legal inequality across geographic lines.
Read →The Daily Yonder
The Dismantling of Rural Legal Aid
Commentary on the consequences of cuts to rural legal aid programs and the communities left without access to legal counsel.
Read →Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)
Sports History Research
Contributions to SABR exploring overlooked stories from baseball history — forgotten ballparks, unusual events, and the people and places that shaped the sporting world.
Read →Chavis Media
An Independent Publishing Company
Chavis Media brings together original historical research, editorial publications, books, and multimedia storytelling. Founded to create space for serious, accessible work on history, community, and American life.
Huntington Avenue Grounds
A publication dedicated to exploring overlooked stories from sports history — forgotten places, unusual events, and the people who shaped the sporting world.
Visit Publication →Baseball and Us
A publication exploring baseball history through individual dates, memorable games, and the larger historical context surrounding them.
Visit Publication →Get in Touch
I welcome inquiries about research collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, and general correspondence.