Caree Banton Named Chair of Department of History

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The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is proud to announce that Caree Banton was named Chair of the Department of History earlier this semester.

Banton first joined the University of Arkansas in 2013 as an assistant professor of history and African and African American Studies (AAST), rising to associate professor in 2019 and director of AAST in 2020.

"Dr. Caree Banton is an exemplary member of our faculty, and an integral part of both the Department of History and our African and African American Studies program, who blends an interdisciplinary humanities focus with great leadership ability," said Kathryn Sloan, interim dean of Fulbright College. "Her extensive research into social, cultural, and intellectual histories and her impressive teaching and service records makes her uniquely qualified to lead such an expansive program of study."

Banton is a historian of the African diaspora, teaching courses on Afro-Caribbean history and culture, race history and theory, an introduction to African and African American studies, and also to the making of the modern Caribbean. Her 2019 book, "More Auspicious Shores: Barbadian Migration, Blackness, and the Making of an African Republic," likewise discusses these complex migratory histories. Overall, her academic research focuses on movements toward freedom — particularly abolition, emancipation, and colonization — through which she explores ideas of citizenship, nationhood, and race.

Her forthcoming manuscript, "The Many Archives of the Black Republic: Liberian Loss, and Memory Across its Diaspora" is currently in progress.

In addition to these academic interests, Banton likewise studies the social-cultural realities of modern communities.

Banton received a master's in development studies from the University of Ghana while researching sustainable livelihoods, resource development and management, and tourism within several developing districts. She was likewise selected to code the historical, political, and institutional characteristics of Liberia by the University of Oslo's Historical Varieties on Democracy Project.

Shaped by her personal experiences with global education, Banton promotes similar experiential learning opportunities at Fulbright College.

Banton additionally currently serves the U of A on the International Education Advisory Committee and the African and African American Studies Experiential Learning Committee. She is also a Study Abroad project leader for the AAST program, a member of the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy, and has been named a Master Teacher in Fulbright College.

"I am beyond excited to continue my professional journey here at the University of Arkansas by serving as chair of the Department of History," Banton said. "Building on the foundation of the program, I plan to continually expand the depth and breadth of our historical research to facilitate a holistic educational experience for our students."

In addition to her master's, Banton also earned her B.P.A. in public administration and a B.A. in history from Grambling State University in 2005. She completed her Ph.D. in history at Vanderbilt University in 2013.

This story also appeared in the Fulbright REVIEW publication.