Alumni and Friends

Established in 1970, the now Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS) is an interdisciplinary program of research, instruction, and community outreach. Our mission is to strengthen the fields of Global Black Studies by encouraging the production and public dissemination of creative, original research and exceptional scholarly knowledge. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, the goal is to train not only informed, productive, and active citizens, but also the next generation of leading scholars in these fields.

Focusing on African Studies, African American Studies, and Afro-Caribbean Studies, DAAS faculty are committed to innovative scholarship and teaching on the history, societies, and creativity of the peoples of Africa and its diaspora. Undergraduate students undergo rigorous study of the African diaspora, exploring the profound global impact of African-descended peoples across various fields such as history, sociology, psychology, economics, political science, literature, and the arts. Through study abroad programs and community-engaged projects, students gain invaluable intercultural experiences and contribute to social change.

"Having a minor in DAAS was essential to my journey at this institution, and the journey of my future. I am on a mission to discover from where our racist institutions come, how to take the law on the books and implement it into law and society, and figure out what part of the legal system I must enter to elevate Black and Mexican liberation. In AAS 201 Intro to African-American Studies, I read “Black Power is a doctrine about black people, for black people, preached by black people” from Walter Rodney’s book The Groundings with My Brothers. I find this quote foundational to my career because it tells me that real change in our society begins with me helping to change the mainstream doctrine of the United States simply by creating spaces and platforms for black people to preach Black Power. I am thankful to DAAS for providing me with the space to push the limits of liberation and the walls set before me … and the tools to leap over them."

"My experiences in the African Studies certificate program were foundational in building out my dissertation framework. It helped me to theorize and engage as an interdisciplinary scholar, invested in the lifeworlds of Black girls on the continent and in the African Diaspora. It also gave me the opportunity to build community with other critical, interdisciplinary colleagues and advanced scholars in meaningful ways. One of the most memorable experiences was the time I was able to present at the African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA) in Kenya in 2019 among some brilliant Africanists and Black studies scholars. I was a second-year student at the time, and this fellowship helped me to envision myself and my work as part of a radical, Black intellectual tradition that prioritizes the 'margins.'"