The Department of African American Studies is committed to bringing academic research to the broadest possible audience, within and beyond the walls of the university. We believe that the deepest understanding of the complex reality of race in America requires a truly interdisciplinary approach, one that draws on history and literature, the social sciences and the arts.
Approved by the Board of Regents in 1970, the Department of African American Studies (formerly Afro-American Studies) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is an outgrowth of the student concern for relevance in higher education which was so dramatically evidenced on many college campuses during the late 1960s. Today, the department offers a wide variety of courses leading to both undergraduate and graduate degrees and is one of the most successful programs in the country.
News and Events
Professor Brenda Gayle Plummer Receives the Evjue-Bascom Professorship
Congratulations Professor Brenda Gayle Plummer! She received the Evjue-Bascom Professorship. Evjue-Bascom Professorships recognize outstanding teaching in the name of John Bascom, the university’s fifth president and in honor of the late William T. Evjue, founder, …
May 23, 2023Christy Clark-Pujara Receives The Romnes Fellowship
Congratulations! Professor Christy Clark-Pujara received the prestigious Romnes Fellowship. This program, funded by WARF in recognition of the leadership of the late WARF Trustee President H. I. Romnes, is designed to bridge the gap between …
May 19, 2023Brittney Edmonds Receives Fellowship From the Institute for Citizens and Scholars
Congratulations Assistant Professor Brittney Edmonds! She received the Career Enhancement Fellowship from the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. The Career Enhancement Fellows are exceptional scholars whose work broadens the range of perspectives and understandings offered …
May 19, 2023Department of African American Studies Statement
The Department of African American Studies fully supports the Blk Pwr Coalition and the students who have spoken out against the vile, racist video from a UW student that surfaced recently on social media. We see …
May 8, 2023TA In African American Studies Needed For Fall 2023
TA in African American Studies needed for Fall 2023! Teaching Assistant for AAS 156: Black Music and American Cultural Studies. TA appointment is for the Fall 2023 semester only. Position includes salary, tuition remission, and …
April 19, 2023- More News and Events