Graduate Student Explores Mothers' League of Central High School for African and African American Studies First Brown Bag Lecture of the Semester

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Misti Harper

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The African and African American Studies Program in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences will continue its brown bag lecture series during the fall 2014 semester. All members of the university community are welcome to attend “To Deny Respectable Black Womanhood: The Mothers’ League of Central High School” by Misti Harper at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, in the program’s new home, Memorial Hall, room 230. 

“Program faculty and graduate students have undertaken some important research on the history of race and the African Diaspora,” said Calvin White, associate professor of history and director of the program. “As faculty move through the scholarly process, the brown bag series brings together an interdisciplinary audience to provide feedback as they revise and develop their work.  These events help foster the interdisciplinary community that makes our program so special.”

Harper, a graduate assistant for African and African American studies and a doctoral candidate in the Department of History, came to the university in 2011 with a Master of Arts in history from the University of Central Arkansas and a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from the University of the Ozarks. She joined the African and African American Studies Program as a graduate assistant in 2012.

In addition to Harper’s work, this semester’s series will also highlight the scholarship of two affiliated faculty members. Timothy Landry, visiting assistant professor of African and African American studies, anthropology, art and history will be featured Wednesday, Oct. 8, and James Gigantino, assistant professor of history, will present the lecture Wednesday, Nov. 5. All lectures will be held at 11:50 a.m. in Memorial Hall 230.

Last year’s series highlighted the research of the program’s four jointly appointed faculty, Brandon Jackson (sociology), Caree Banton (history), Valandra (social work), and Benjamin Fagan (English). As part of their official appointments, these new scholars teach courses, conduct research and provide service to the university in both an academic department and the program. The series also featured talks by White and affiliated faculty member Sabrina Billings (world languages, literatures and cultures).

The African and African American studies program is an interdisciplinary program that expands on the core disciplines of a traditional liberal arts education. Through multiple fields of study, students explore the legacy of the African diaspora and African-descended people's global experiences and the importance of race with a focus on Africa, the United States and the Caribbean.