African American Studies
African American Studies began as a discipline formally with a student strike at San Francisco State in 1968. Students demanded that the history and culture of black Americans be included as part of the curriculum and intellectual life on their campus.
The African American Studies Program at the College of Charleston carries on that legacy. Offering both an interdisciplinary major and minor, the program focuses on the study of African American experiences. African American Studies aims to provide students an understanding of the history and culture of African Americans; to introduce students to the diversity of African American experiences in a variety of disciplines; to promote the study of African American history and culture in the larger community; and to make African American Studies an integral part of intellectual life at the College of Charleston.
Students with degrees in African American Studies pursue careers in various areas, such as law, politics, medicine, art, teaching, entertainment, and journalism.
Upcoming Events
Learn more about African American Studies and Related events on campus and around the community.
- Poetry Reading and Conversation with Stefanie-Lahya Ndeshipewa Aukongo
- Hip Hop at 50: The Epistemology of Listening & Hip Hop Sensibilities to Develop Trust and Community Inside & Outside the Academy
- Tackling Life's Big Questions: The Monumental Minutes fo the Clionian Debating Society (Charleston Library Society)
- The Two Coins: Meditations on Trade
- Hot Chocolate Holidaze: Happy 50th Anniversary Hip-Hop
Desegregation at the College Of Charleston
Originally curated by Dr. Crabtree as a physical exhibit, the Desegregation of the College of Charleston exhibit was on display in the Addlestone Library rotunda in 2016. Dr. Crabtree’s permanent LDHI exhibit is now updated and expanded—and in true public history style, it has been a wonderfully collaborative effort. In addition to Dr. Crabtree’s expansion of her original exhibit text, Erica Veal provided additional historical context, History graduate assistants Brenna Reilley and Paige Little created a new gallery and timeline, and Dr. Howard with the Office of Institutional Diversity collaborated on an updated conclusion.
Desegregation of the College of Charleston is the first publication on the College of Charleston’s history of desegregation.
Visit the digital exhibit of Desegregation at the College of Charleston at the Lowcountry Digital History Initiative
African American Studies Director Named Inaugural Whipper Distinguished Professor
The College of Charleston has named Anthony Greene, director of the African American Studies Program, as its inaugural Lucille Simmons Whipper Distinguished Professor.
This new professorship was created in an effort to attract and retain top talent from historically underserved groups and to identify faculty members of color at the associate-professor level who are at a point in their career to work toward promotion to full professor so that they may have the time to complete the work necessary for promotion. It is part of an initiative based on one of the cross-cutting themes of the College’s 10-year strategic plan, Tradition & Transformation: the value of diversity, equity and inclusion to make the institution more welcoming to all and more competitive in a changing cultural landscape.
Continue reading at The College Today.
CofC Celebrates Life of Activist Septima Clark With New Exhibit, Mural
Many achievements of Charleston native, educator and activist Septima Poinsette Clark (1898-1987) took place at locations on and near the College of Charleston campus. Clark was born at 105 Wentworth Street in 1898 (now part of the CofC campus) and was a student and later a teacher at the Avery Normal Institute (now the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston) at 125 Bull St.. In 1978, the College, during a ceremony in the Cistern Yard, awarded Clark an honorary doctorate in humane letters for 40 years of work as an educator, civil rights leader and advocate for the underprivileged.
Read more at CofC Today
CofC Podcast: Dean Kameelah Martin Reflects on Her Spiritual Exploration of the Yoruba Religion
Kameelah Martin, dean of the Graduate School and professor of African American studies and English at the College of Charleston, has spent the last 10 years researching the ancient Yoruba religion of West Africa, a religious practice that came to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. The practice has flourished in places with large Catholic communities like Cuba, a country that is known for having the most pristine practice outside of Nigeria.
To listen to this episode of Speaking Of … College of Charleston.
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