Lamothe earned a bachelor's degree in English from
Yale College. She completed a Ph.D. in English at the
University of California, Berkeley. In 2004, Lamothe joined the faculty at
Smith College. She is a professor of
Africana studies and researches the
Harlem Renaissance, the
Great Migration,
African-American music, and
African-American literature. In May 2024, she was named as the incoming provost and dean of faculty, set to begin on July 1. == Selected works ==