Department of African American Studies (Syracuse University) facts for kids

The Department of African American Studies (AAS) at Syracuse University helps students learn about Africana studies. This means studying the history, culture, and experiences of people of African descent around the world. The department is located in Syracuse, New York.

AAS is part of the Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences. It works closely with the Community Folk Art Center (CFAC), which helps share Black art and culture in Syracuse. The department also has the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, which has many important books and materials. AAS also leads the "Africa Initiative," which helps people learn more about Africa.

A Look Back: How AAS Started

The Department of African American Studies began because students wanted to see changes. In the 1960s, students at Syracuse University were among the first to speak up. They wanted education to be fair for everyone.

Speaking Up for Change

In 1961, Ernie Davis made history. He was the first Black football player to win the Heisman Trophy. This was a big step for African Americans in higher education. As Joe Biden said, Ernie Davis "gave a whole group of people hope."

However, Black athletes at Syracuse still faced unfair treatment. In 1969, a group called the "Syracuse 8" spoke out. They highlighted the discrimination they faced in the football program. This led to a lot of tension on campus.

Students Demand Black Studies

In 1968, Black students protested at Syracuse University. They wanted the university to offer classes about Black history and culture. They wanted to learn about the important ideas and contributions of African Americans.

The university listened to the students. They started offering Black Studies classes. In 1972, African American Studies became a program. By 1979, it grew into a full department within the College of Arts and Sciences. The student protests also helped start the Afro-American Cultural Center and the MLK library collection.

Continuing the Fight in the 1980s

Students kept working for change in the 1980s. They wanted more African American professors and leaders in the AAS department. The Syracuse African-American Students Association (SAS) led these efforts.

In 1989, 120 SAS students met with the university's leader, Chancellor Melvin Eggers. They shared their concerns. Their actions led to a large protest in 1990 with 400 students. Students wanted all students to learn about the contributions of African Americans. They believed that learning about African studies was important for everyone.

Today, AAS is a well-known program. It connects Africa with the experiences of people of African descent around the world. It continues to encourage new ideas in its projects and studies.

Special Centers and Programs

The AAS department works with special centers that help share art and culture.

Community Folk Art Center (CFAC)

The Community Folk Art Center (CFAC) started in 1972. It is a part of AAS. CFAC shows art by Black artists and other artists who might not get much attention. It has art shows, films, workshops, and dance performances. CFAC is a lively place for art in the Syracuse community.

Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company (PRPAC)

The Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company, Inc. (PRPAC) started in 1982. It was named after Paul Robeson, a famous African-American singer, actor, and activist. PRPAC helps improve art education at Syracuse University and in the community. It used to be part of the AAS department.

What Students Learn

AAS offers many ways for students to learn. They can study, do research, get involved in the community, and even study abroad. The courses help students understand African Americans and connect their experiences to places like Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Focus on Gender and Environmental Justice

The AAS department received a special grant from the Ford Foundation. This grant helps them teach about gender and environmental justice in Africana studies. This means AAS is the only department of its kind to focus on how environmental issues affect different groups of people.

The grant also supported a lecture series called "Black Feminism and Environmental Justice." It helped fund research and projects for Black women and other minority groups.

Undergraduate Studies

Students can choose to major or minor in African American Studies. The program focuses on international studies and getting involved in the community. It has created unique study abroad programs like "Paris Noir" and "Beyond the Beach: The Caribbean as a Place." Students can also study in Black Austria (University of Graz) and Zimbabwe.

Graduate Studies - Pan African Studies

The Masters in Pan African Studies Program started in 2005. It is a special program that looks at Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States. While many programs focus on history, this one connects Africa and the African Diaspora from many angles. It looks at culture, society, politics, economics, and the environment.

This program also explores the idea of Pan Africanism. This is a movement that connects people of African descent worldwide. Students in this program get to do field research and often study in Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, or African American sites.

Africa Initiative

The AAS department believes Africa is very important. The Africa Initiative (AI) started in 2001 to focus on Africa. AI wants to bring back interest in Africa, which has decreased in many U.S. universities. It also aims to correct wrong ideas about Africa.

AI continues the work of the East African Studies Program at Syracuse. This program started projects like the Eduardo Mondlane Lecture Series. It also helped build a large collection of East African books and archives at Syracuse's Bird Library.

Eduardo Mondlane Lecture Series

AI manages the "Eduardo Mondlane Memorial Lecture Series." This series is named after Eduardo Mondlane, who founded a liberation movement in Mozambique and was a professor at Syracuse. The lectures bring together scholars, students, and the community to talk about important issues in Africa.

In 1970, Guinea-Bissau nationalist Amílcar Cabral gave his famous speech "National Liberation and Culture" at one of these lectures. Other important speakers have included UN Ambassador to Rwanda Stanilas Kamanzi and writer Veronique Tadjo.

Conferences and Events

AI also hosts big meetings and conferences. In the past, these have included events about WEB Du Bois and The Crisis Magazine, and celebrations of International Human Rights.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

The MLK library was started by Syracuse students in 1968. It is one of the few university libraries in the country with a whole collection dedicated to African-American materials. It has videos, art, books, and journals. It also has a special collection called the Harriet Tubman collection. The library also has materials on Africa, the Caribbean, Afro-Europe, and Afro-Central America.

Important Talks and Projects

• MLK Jr Lectures: This series brings speakers to campus. Past speakers include Mary Frances Berry and Jayne Cortez.
• Black Feminist Lecture Series: Since 2007, this series has brought important speakers like Patricia McFadden and Carole Boyce Davies.
• Other Guest Speakers: Notable guests have included Manning Marable and Sonia Sanchez.
• The AAS department supported a play by Wole Soyinka called Death and the King's Horseman.
• AAS is working with the Dunbar Center and the Onondaga Historical Association. They are collecting and mapping local Black history in Syracuse.

Notable People at AAS

Many important scholars and thinkers have been part of the AAS department.

Faculty Members

• Horace Campbell - a political scientist and author
• Bill Cole - an author and music expert
• Linda Carty - an activist and sociologist
• Kwame Dixon - a political scientist
• Janis Mayes - an author and literary critic
• Micere Mugo - an activist, poet, and playwright
• Milton Sernett - an author and historian
• S.N. Sangmpam - a political scientist and author
• Renate Simson - an author

Visiting Professors

• Angela Davis - a famous American civil rights activist and author
• Patricia McFadden - a sociologist and feminist from Swaziland

Former Students Who Made a Mark

• Adolphus G. Belk Jr. - studied African American Studies and became a political scientist
• Pierce Freelon - earned a Master's in Pan African Studies and is a musician