UW–Madison students present research, art, and scholarship in the 1st Annual African American Studies Student Symposium
The symposium featured student presentations spanning art, sociology, and current events. Eleven students delivered talks, and the event concluded with a theatrical performance of selected scenes from Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by three students.
Adam Donahue, a History major, examined Cultural Black Nationalism and Black Materialism through the works of Toni Cade Bambara and Manning Marable, emphasizing the differing interpretations of the roots of Black oppression. Micah Sagers, an African American Studies certificate student, presented on FBI intelligence tactics targeting The Black Panther Party, drawing from the experience of her uncle, a former member.
The symposium also highlighted two poets and one painter: Sandrine Biagui, an African American Studies certificate student, and Bryah Lewis, a Community and Organizational Development major, shared poetry. DeOnna Garrison, an artist and African American Studies major, presented her painting Don’t Forget Us, inspired by Jarvis R. Givens. DeOnna’s work focused on uplifting the creative minds of Black girls in America. Bri Bernard, Madelyn Barnhill, and Selena Baker shared work on Black experimental sound, the Black Arts Movement, and Black heavy metal music, respectively.
Kaleb Autman, a Sociology and Legal Studies major, reflected on his involvement with the eight-month ad hoc study group formed by Chancellor Mnookin in 2023. Shelby Jantz, a double major in Education and Legal Studies, explored themes of fugitivity and DEI in educational spaces. Kamyia Denson, a Communication Arts major, presented an essay analyzing three early Black archetypes in Hollywood: the Mammy, the Jezebel, and the Tarzan.
Following the event’s success, the department intends to establish the symposium as an annual tradition to foster community, encourage the exchange of ideas, and support future collaborations.
