African and African American Studies Program Unveils Annual Magazine

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The African and African American studies program in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences has released its annual magazine showcasing the activities and achievements of faculty and students in the interdisciplinary program. Topics featured in this issue include the program’s new home and online minor, alumni and student successes, and faculty achievements. The magazine is available online at the program’s homepage.

New Home and Online Minor

The program celebrated two milestones in 2013: It acquired a new office suite in Memorial Hall and, in conjunction with the university’s Global Campus, began work on establishing an online course of study.  Now, with both a new physical and a virtual home, the program is committed to offer the same educational opportunities to a broader student population in a non-traditional setting. The program currently offers approximately four online courses per semester, including African American history to 1877, African American history since 1877, the African American experience and African Americans in sport.

“The ability to offer academic opportunities to a broader student population in a non-traditional setting reflects our primary mission to make education accessible and equitable to those outside of the University of Arkansas campus,” said Calvin White Jr., associate professor of history and program director.

Student and Alumni Success

The magazine highlights the success of many of the program’s students, both past and present, including eight students who graduated in 2014 who are now attending graduate or professional school. Cameron Woods was admitted to a joint Master of Science in education and Juris Doctor program at Southern Illinois University. Kevin Morris began his Master of Arts in Pan African studies at Syracuse University this fall. Brandon Dismute is attending the State University of New York at Buffalo pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning. Closer to home, alumnus Frankc Berlanga Medina began his graduate studies at the University of Arkansas, pursuing a Master of Arts in history. 

In addition, the magazine features Seth Jewell, a program alumnus who is now an associate attorney for the law firm Wright, Lindsey and Jennings in Little Rock.

“[The program] opened my eyes to the reality of racial tension that still permeates our society today,” said Jewell. “It is not an exaggeration for me to say that I am the person I am today because of my participation in the African and African American studies program.”

Faculty Achievement

The magazine’s cover story is about the hiring of former Razorback basketball player Scotty Thurman as an adjunct faculty member. Thurman teaches the program’s popular African Americans in sport course.

“This is a great example of how education and athletics can work together,” White said. “Not only do students have an excellent mentor in Thurman but they also have someone who is passionate about education and learning and truly values both aspects of his own student-athlete experience.” 

In addition to teaching and mentoring students, African and African American studies faculty have actively advanced the university’s research mission. Joint appointee Ben Fagan won a National Endowment for the Humanities post-doctoral fellowship at the Library Company of Philadelphia, giving him a semester of research leave in Spring 2015. Joint appointees Caree Banton and Valandra were each awarded research grants to support ongoing projects. Valandra received a $10,000 grant in conjunction with the 2014 Community Research Award, sponsored by the interdisciplinary Bernice Jones Endowed Chair in the Community. Banton was one of five faculty members to receive research grants through the Humanities Seed Funding Program from the university’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

The program also celebrated the publication or pending publication of four books and several articles by its faculty members. These include Language, Globalization, and the Making of a Tanzanian Beauty Queen (Multilingual Matters) by Sabrina Billings, The Ragged Road to Abolition:  Slavery and Freedom in New Jersey (University of Pennsylvania Press) by James Gigantino and Prison Power:  How Prison Politics Influenced the Movement for Black Liberation (University of Alabama Press) by Lisa Corrigan.

The African and African American studies program expands on the core disciplines of a traditional liberal arts education. Through interdisciplinary study, students may 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.