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Since 2020, I have served as director of the African American Studies Program at the University of Florida. The African American Studies Program started in 1969, developed a certificate in 1971, created a minor in 2006 and a major in 2014. Since 2014, over 200 students graduated with a degree in African American Studies and have careers, in law, education, and finance.
African American studies is an academic discipline, and our faculty and courses ensure that our students obtain career readiness skills such as critical thinking, reading, oral communication and teamwork. In addition, the African American Studies Program has supported University of Florida initiatives such as AI learning – we hired Dr. Kevin Winstead as our Race and AI specialist, and experiential learning, such as podcasting, undergraduate research and internships.
The Sankofa Society is our African American studies major and minor student organization that provides our students opportunities for professional development and promotes our program. Our students have participated in several tabling events such as the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences first year student major’s event. Our students have received competitive research awards from CLAS Scholars, University Scholars Program, and the Alexander Grass Scholars; they are the lifeblood of the program.
During my tenure, our program hired five full-time tenure track faculty, received a $100,000 Affirming Multivocal Humanities Grant from the Mellon Foundation, and a $50,000 gift from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated Zeta Phi Chapter. Our faculty excel in all three areas of their profession, research, teaching, and service and many have participated in community events, such as Gainesville’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration and giving talks at Eastside High School. You can follow our program at UF-AFA or visit our website to see our latest events and programs.