by Scott A. Carter UW–Madison lecturer Alexander Shashko on disco, heavy metal and the responsibility of deciding who gets into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Every spring, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces its nominees, and fans immediately begin debating who deserves induction. But behind the headlines is a large and …
Dr. Sabrina Thomas shares five reading recommendations to best understand the role of Black studies in 2026 “Stony the Road presents a bracing alternative to Trump-era white nationalism. . . . In our current politics we recognize African-American history—the spot under our country’s rug where the terrorism and injustices of white supremacy are habitually swept.” …
Recognizing student scholarship at second annual symposium On February 27, 2026, the Department of African American Studies hosted our second annual student symposium in the Memorial Union’s Tripp Commons, drawing scholars, students, and community members together for a full day of exchange on Black studies; the event centered research in the arts, activism, and theory. …
The 2025–2026 academic year has been a banner year for the Department of African American Studies. We celebrated our 55th anniversary with a three-day symposium attended by over 100 alumni, faculty, students, staff, administrators, friends of the department, and community members. We welcomed two new faculty members, Professors Sabrina Thomas and Max Felker-Kantor, who have …
Dr. Tom Wing Shick (1947-1987) received his M.A. (1970) and Ph.D. (1976) from the Department of History at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He joined the Department of African American Studies in 1977. Dr. Shick was an academic consultant for the U.S. Department of State, Carnegie Corporation (Kinte Library Project), The Institute of the Black World, …
Undergraduate Micah Sagers has been awarded the Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowship for her project, “Freedom is Wellness: Health in A Freedom School Model”. Sagers, a Biology major, is pursuing a certificate in African American Studies and is a current research fellow in The SoulFolk Collective. Wisconsin Idea Fellowships are awarded annually to undergraduate student projects working towards addressing …
Dr. Jessica Lee Stovall has published “Worlding Black freedom: unsettling the predicament of domination through fugitive and abolitionist pedagogies” in the Race Ethnicity and Education (Volume 29, Issue 2 (2026)) journal. Co-authored by Dr. Stovall, Darion A. Wallace, and Kia Turner, the piece asserts the utility of fugitivity and abolition practices. Abstract: The rise in …
The journal MELUS, Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, has awarded Dr. Brittney Edmonds the 2026 Katharine Newman Best Essay Award for her article, “Sutton Griggs’s Speculative Pedagogy”. The selection committee shared that in a “highly competitive field composed of dozens of quality essays published across the year’s four issues”, Dr. Edmond’s essay represents “the most …
A warm and well deserved congratulations to Dr. Jessica Lee Stovall, who has been selected by the Office of the Provost as an Exceptional Service Support Program award recipient for the 2026-2027 academic year. The selection committee recognized that Dr. Stovall’s “impressive commitment to service”, in addition to maintaining a high level of research and …
The creation of the United States in 1776 was based at least partially upon the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, that all people are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, freedom and independence had tremendously varied meanings at this time, and for many …