The Department of African American Studies was created in 1969 as a result of community engagement, student protest, and a belief that understanding Black history and culture is a critical component of understanding our country. The 1969 Change Makers and Beyond! Fund carries those founding principles into the present, supporting experimental learning, programming, and outreach activities by the Department of African American Studies. Every gift to this fund goes directly towards department programming to support the next generation of change makers in the Black studies field at UW–Madison, and thanks to the Human Family Unity Foundation, every gift’s impact will be doubled to $250,000.

Outreach

Extending the department’s reach to students who haven’t found Black studies yet:

◦ Essence Learning Community — A first-year residential community that connects incoming students interested in learning about the Black diaspora to African American Studies coursework, faculty, and each other from their very first semester.

◦ Ethnic Studies Fest— An annual collaborative event with other Ethnic Studies departments and programs at UW that celebrates and uplifts the connections between African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at large.

Programming

Supporting programs and events that enrich the African American Studies community:

◦ In Dialogue — A monthly speaker and discussion series brining scholars and artists into sustained conversation with students.

◦ Student graduation — The department’s intimate graduation event honors the unique work of our M.A., major, certificate, and Ph.D. minor students, and recognizes graduates with custom stoles and a hooding ceremony from faculty to mark their stoles and a hooding ceremony from faculty to mark their milestone.

Experiential Learning

Taking our students beyond the classroom and into the world:

◦ Student Research Symposium — An annual gathering where undergraduate and graduate students present original research alongside a guest keynote speaker, to their peers, and faculty to hone skills in public speaking and conference literacy.

◦ Access to culture — Department sponsored outings to live music, theatre, and museums place coursework in conversation with live Black performance, art, and storytelling.