Thank you for Joining our Discussion on the “Past, Present, and Future of African American Studies in the U.S.” with Carol Anderson and Noliwe Rooks

Note: Thank you for joining us on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023, for a virtual discussion on the “Past, Present, and Future of African American Studies in the U.S.”—with featured discussants, Professors Carol Anderson and Noliwe Rooks.

As far as context, we are having this conversation at the Miami Institute for the Social Sciences most immediately against the backdrop of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s rejection of the pilot course in AP African American Studies and the College Board’s subsequent decision to reconsider the content of the course, but also, more broadly, against the backdrop of leading foundations such as Ford and Mellon announcing plans in 2022 to terminate long-standing fellowship and grant programs geared toward supporting BIPOC/underrepresented students in higher education. That’s all to say: How do we imagine the future of African American Studies in the U.S., against this current political and financial context? And can the past in African American Studies and U.S. culture help us navigate this present and future for the field?