Events

  • Sep
    25

    55th Anniversary Symposium @ 5:00 pm - @ 1:00 pm Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

 Department Newsletter

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From left to right: Kweku Andrews, William L. Van Deburg, Freida High, Alex Haley, and Tom Shick photographed together in the mid-1970s.

Committed to bringing academic research to the broadest possible audience, the Department of African American Studies at UW–Madison believes the deepest understanding of the complex reality of race in America requires a truly interdisciplinary approach. Within and beyond the walls of the university, our studies draw on history, 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) 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.

The Department of African American Studies’ first undergraduate and graduate lab, the SoulFolk Collective, engages in multidisciplinary research that prioritizes Black-affirming methodologies that amplify the voices, stories, and lived realities of Black communities. SoCo is committed to rigorous, disciplined study, ensuring high standards of intellectual and personal integrity while communicating our findings accessibly. This dual mission ensures that the knowledge generated is meaningful and impactful, especially for the communities they serve. Central to their research practice is thick description (Ryle, 1971)—providing rich, nuanced accounts that give color and depth to the lives, struggles, and joys of those with whom we co-create knowledge. SoCo hopes to destablize estabished racial categories, and reimagine new ways of being and connecting. 

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Our colleague and friend, Nina Liamba, passed away unexpectedly on April 26, 2024.

 

Nina was kind, quiet, and generous. She was a devoted mother, and beloved daughter and sister. Nina had a welcoming spirit and smile. Her easygoing personality and the pictures of her children in her office invited casual conversations about our lives outside of work. As the Student Affairs Program Coordinator, Nina was often the first point of contact for our students, and she went out of her way to accommodate their needs and requests. Her patience was noted by many.

 

Nina’s abrupt passing reminds us of the importance of our relationships and the gratitude we share for one another.