Civil Rights Takes Center Stage
Waiting to be Invited by S. M. Shephard-Massat, April 6-7, 2013
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TABLE OF CONTENTS FALL 2013 4 | cover story The African and African American Studies Program in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences presented its sixth annual spring play, Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7, in the Arkansas Union Theater. Waiting to be Invited by S.M. Shephard-Massat follows four African American women in 1964 Atlanta as they test their newly acquired civil rights in an all-white establishment.
3 | Letter from the Director 4 | Cover Story 6 | A Legend Retires
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Alumni Spotlight Student Spotlight Study Abroad Graduate Students
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Fall 2013 Courses Advising Info Summer Reading Silas Hunt
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Faculty News Ghana Info Coffee with Professors Thank You
CONNECT WITH US Website Facebook Twitter aast.uark.edu facebook.com/uarkAAST twitter.com/uofarAAST Back Row: Mark Dillard, Tim Reid, Kanesha Day, Jade Novak, Daphne Reid, LaQuita Deans, Prince Duren, Abby MacDonald. Front Row: Meghan Lewis , Clinnesha Sibley, Courtney Gipson, Margaret Gender.
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LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR A native Arkansan, I was raised in the Delta town of Stuttgart. Understanding the poverty of the region firsthand, I have never forgotten the transformative nature of education. I believe it to be the great and only equalizer. It simply takes into account how hard you are willing to work and endure. As a first generation college student, I attended the University of Central Arkansas where I received both my bachelors and masters degrees in history. Deciding to forgo law school, I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Mississippi with a concentration on the US South, with an emphasis on the African American experience. While there, I lived and witnessed the important academic contributions of the African American Studies Department. Now as an associate professor of history at the University of Arkansas, I am thrilled to serve as the Director of the African and African American Studies Program where our mission is to advance social consciousness, inject principles of reason and equality into international debates, and support the highest level of academic excellence in the classroom. Over the course of my first two years as director, we have witnessed tremendous growth. We have added four new joint appointments, an additional graduate assistant/teaching assistant, and have acquired new office space that houses our graduate assistants, adjunct faculty, and provides space where our graduate seminars can be conducted. We are now offering our first online classes, as well as a record number of face to face courses. This year, we will solicit our first-ever outside funding through grant proposals. Most importantly, our students continue to excel. In the last two years, our students have gained admission into Phi Beta Kappa, the University of Mississippi Graduate School, the University of Arkansas Law School, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Graduate School, and employment at the Clinton Presidential Library. We continue our study abroad to Ghana, which has grown exponentially since its conception, as well as helping send students to Cameroon, Tanzania, Greece, and Turkey. In addition, our faculty continues to contribute exceptional research, service and teaching that is integral to the mission of the University of
Calvin White, Jr., Director of African and African American Studies
Arkansas. While maintaining busy schedules, our faculty continues to be some of the most engaged, student-oriented professors at the University of Arkansas. This is evident by the record number of faculty teaching and service awards, as well as publications highlighted in this newsletter. In sum, we continue to grow, and I ask you to keep in contact with us via our very popular Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are more than happy to address your questions. Sincerely,
Calvin White, Jr. Calvin White, Jr.
 Associate Professor of History
 Director, African and African American Studies
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From left to right: Kanesha Day, Meghan Lewis, Jade Novak, LaQuita Deans
ANNUAL SPRING PLAY: WAITING TO BE INVITED BY S. M. SHEPHARD-MASSAT, APRIL 6-7, 2013 The African and African American Studies Program in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences presented its sixth annual spring play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 7, in the Arkansas Union Theater. Waiting to be Invited by S.M. Shephard-Massat follows four African American women in 1964 Atlanta as they test their newly acquired civil rights in an all-white establishment. LaQuita Deans and Mark Dillard, both majoring in history and African and African American studies, are two of the many students who have found that participating in the annual play is a meaningful way to be involved on campus. “I don’t consider myself an actor, but enjoy this as a hobby,” said Deans. Deans is one of the leads in Waiting to be Invited. She
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was also featured in last year’s production, The Colored Museum. Dillard was inspired to participate this year after seeing The Colored Museum. “Last year’s production blew me away, so I wanted to get involved with this year’s play,” said Dillard. “I am very happy to be here as the lighting and sound coordinator.” On Saturday, March 31, actors Tim and Daphne Reid, who have starred in several television shows, spoke with the students and watched their dress rehearsal. Tim played Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati and Ray Campbell in Sister, Sister. Daphne is best known for her role as Aunt Viv in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The Reids encouraged the students to approach acting with a spirit of passion, commitment, training and suffering. Kanesha Day, a
biochemistry major with a minor in drama, expressed appreciation for the advice and said she found that opportunities like the African and African American Studies play allowed her to practice the craft of acting while focusing on her schoolwork. The annual spring play is a highlight for the African and African American Studies Program. Past performances have been delivered to packed houses consisting of both on-campus and community patrons. The show changes annually, and the excitement and quality grows each year. Each play is carefully selected to compliment the program’s mission. In addition to The Colored Museum, past productions include Twilight: Los Angeles 1922 and College Life: The Deciding Factor, an original play written by African
and African American studies student DaLaura Patton. “Our annual plays educate and engage the audience, which include our students and members of both the university and the Northwest Arkansas community,” said Calvin White, Jr., an associate professor of history and the program’s director. “All of our dramatic productions enhance the themes of African or African American history and culture discussed in the classroom and show the important role that African Americans and race played in the development of the United States.” Directed by Clinnesha D. Sibley, assistant professor of drama, the production features a cast and crew of University of Arkansas students. Sibley, an alumna of the George Washington Carver Research Program, holds a master of fine arts in playwriting from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor of arts from Tougaloo College. Sibley’s works have been featured at the
Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s Voices at the River Playwriting Residency, the D.C. Black Theater Festival and the Athena Project’s Plays in Progress in Denver, Colorado. As a playwright, actor and director, Sibley is an integral part of the campus and local theater community as well as the African and African American Studies Program. Her play Tell Martha Not to Moan was chosen from six new works by female playwrights as the winner of the Athena Project’s 2012 Plays in Progress. Her anthology, King Me: Three One-Act Plays Inspired by the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., was released in April 2013 by University of Arkansas Press. The cast of Waiting to be Invited includes Deans as Ms. Louise, Kanesha Day as Ms. Odessa, Meghan Lewis as Ms. Delores, Jude Novak as Ms. Ruth, Prince Duren as Palmero Bateman and Margaret Gender as Ms. Grayson. In addition to Sibley and Dillard, other members of the crew include Abby MacDonald, assistant director and stage manager; Kevin Prescott Morris, II, dramaturg; and Courtney P. Gipson, costume and props coordinator.
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It really took me back to when the play was first done in Denver in 1999, and reminded me of other productions since where the cast members were close and connected with each other as well as the characters they were portraying. I thank you and hope that it all went well.
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Playwright, S.M. Shephard-Massat Fall 2013 | 5
DR. GORDON MORGAN: A UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS LEGEND RETIRES
From left to right: Pearl Dowe, Gordon Morgan, Calvin White, Jr.
On December 10, 2012, the University of Arkansas honored the distinguished career of Dr. Gordon D. Morgan, University Professor of sociology and the first African American faculty member hired at the university in 1969. Morgan, the only African American to achieve the rank of university professor at the U of A, enjoyed accolades from the campus and broader Fayetteville communities. Arkansas Razorback football players Knile Davis and Tenarius Wright affirmed Morgan’s impact on his students’ lives, emphasizing his importance to them as students and as African American men attending the University. Chancellor G. David Gearhart and Mayor Lioneld Jordan lauded Morgan’s groundbreaking achievements, while the fraternity Omega Psi Phi honored his brotherhood, and lifetime of service through education and community. Dr. Calvin White, Jr. and Dr. James Gigantino also gave remarks on Morgan’s legacy of service to the African and African American Studies
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Program since its creation. Morgan earned his doctorate from Washington State University in 1961 and has served as a teacher, counselor, mentor, and role model to generations of students, especially minority students. Over his long and celebrated career, he has served as a consultant to the Arkansas Program on Basic Adult Education, as an expert witness before the Rockefeller Commission on Population and the American Future, and as an adviser to the American College Testing program. Morgan’s research interests include the Arkansas Delta, investigating how African countries might be converted to the dollar standard, and a comprehensive study of the discipline of sociology. He has said: “I believe much sociological knowledge can be gained by focus on the discipline. I continue to be interested in the Caribbean as an area of research and teaching.” During his time at the University of Arkansas, Morgan and his family established the
Chancellor G. David Gearheart giving remarks at Dr. Morgan’s retirement celebration
Morgan Family Scholarship for minority students. He has also chronicled the history of the black experience at the University of Arkansas in his book The Edge of Campus, which he co-authored with his wife, Izola Preston Morgan. In this work, the Morgans address the tangled history of the University’s admission of African American students and hiring of African American faculty, challenges faced by African American students, and the legacy of African American attitudes toward the University of Arkansas. Morgan is the author of 16 other books including Toward an American Sociology: Questioning the European Construct, Tilman C. Cothran: Second Generation Sociologist, and Sixty Years a Que, which explores the history of black Greek life on college campuses and examines the profound importance of fraternities and sororities to African and African American experiences. Breaking down racial barriers has been a hallmark of Morgan’s teaching and research. He brought to the University of Arkansas the belief
that racial classification not only limits minorities but also separates society as a whole, imposing limits even on the majority population. He determined that he would do all he could to free students from their prejudices, their oppression, and their tendency to view the world in black and white.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
TINA FLETCHER Tina Fletcher is the Community Investment Manager for the Memphis Grizzlies, a position that allows her to lead the Grizzlies’ fundraising efforts for the Grizzlies House at St. Jude, a shortterm facility for cancer patients. She also oversees all Grizzlies on-line and in-arena auctions and all Grizzlies educational programs within the Memphis and mid-South area. She most recently served as a Fundraiser for the Obama for America campaign as well as an educator at Anacostia Senior High School in Washington, D.C. where she was named the 2010 Teacher of the Year. She has interned with the United States Senate, the Southern Education Foundation and the Office of the First Lady Michelle Obama.
During my tenure at the University of Arkansas, participating in the African and African American Studies Program allowed me to develop a better understanding of my ancestors’ journey to America, their experiences here, and how their trials and tribulations paved the way for my current success. While studying at the U of A and throughout my journey since graduation, the knowledge and skills I obtained from the African and African American Studies Program played an integral part in my choice to become a history teacher. These skills also prepared me for my role in re-electing the first African American President of the United States and my most recent decision to return to the South in order to serve the community that raised me. I most definitely would not be the servant and leader I am today had I not been a student in the African and African American Studies Program at the University of Arkansas. Several courses in the African and African American Studies Program provided me with skills and characteristics that helped me become successful and are still with me today.
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Tina L. Fletcher, B.A. African and African American studies and political science (Combined Major) Additional degrees earned: Ed.M. Teacher Education: History (Harvard University)
On Dr. Charles Robinson’s course, African American History since 1877
Dr. Robinson’s course conveyed in several ways the notion that hard work does pay off. His detailed analysis of the Jim Crow era and the civil rights movement has stayed with me over the years and has impacted the way I view our country, its history, and its probable future. Reading Taste of Power by Elaine Brown not only introduced me to the role of women in the Black Power movement, it opened my eyes to the various levels of involvement women have played in several aspects of our country’s past.
On Dr. Calvin White, Jr.’s course African American History to 1877
Dr. White’s course introduced me to various elements of West African and American history I have never knew. Dr. White’s ability to present and describe such practices as the selling of slaves in West Africa before their departure to America via the Middle Passage was beyond intriguing. I remember distinctively the fact that Dr. White’s assignments pushed me to think harder and more creatively than ever before. I took Dr. White’s course my final semester on the U of A campus. I earned four A’s and one B that semester, and the B was in Dr. White’s course. I had never been so happy to earn a B!
On Dr. Gordon Morgan’s courses, Contemporary Caribbean and Black Ghetto
Dr. Morgan was and is truly an inspiration to me and my life. I am honored to have been able to take courses with an individual who holds such a powerful legacy on the University of Arkansas campus. Dr. Morgan’s Contemporary Caribbean course revealed several facets of the cultural practices of the Caribbean I had never been exposed to. I had the opportunity to write a paper and present to my classmates the impact of pregnancy on teenage girls in Cuba and the research has stuck with me to this very day as I serve as the founder of a mentoring program for girls. Dr. Morgan is also an expert on historically African American communities in the state of Arkansas. While taking his Black Ghetto course, he taught me the essentials of race in my home county and as a young lady from a small, rural town, it was very nice to know that even
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my small town was included in Dr. Morgan’s studies and research.
On Study Abroad in Tanzania, Africa
One of the many benefits of being a student within Tina L. the African Fletche r with P residen and African t Barac k Obam American Studies Program a was the opportunity to study abroad in Africa. The program helped fund my participation in a University of Georgia study abroad in 2007 to Tanzania. While there, I had the opportunity to learn about political systems in Africa. This opportunity allowed me to better understand what accounted for Africa’s slow economic growth and why some African countries suffered from political violence more than others. From extensively traveling the country to trying new foods and walking the walk of local tribes, studying in Tanzania was an amazing experience and has made an extremely positive impact on my life and the way in which I approach certain situations each and every day Regardless of your major, race, religion or socioeconomic status, majoring or minoring in African and African American studies will be one of the best decisions you make while studying at the University of Arkansas. The courses and faculty will encourage and force you to think outside the box, develop unbeknownst critical thinking skills and ultimately aid in your ability to make better life-changing decisions as you continue on your journey after college. Trust me, I am a walking testimony.
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AIRIC HUGHES Airic Hughes is the former assistant director for the Arkansas Alumni Association, a position that allowed him to lead the student programming efforts for the Arkansas Alumni Association, a resource for students and graduates of the University of Arkansas. He also oversaw all Young Alumni program efforts and maintained a portfolio of Alumni chapter programs in both national and Mid-South communities. He most recently served as a U of A recruitment ambassador to central and eastern Arkansas high schools, including Jacksonville Senior High School in Jacksonville, AR where he graduated in 2006. He has interned with the University of Arkansas’ Division of Advancement and coordinated community outreach programs for the Donald Reynolds Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville. Understanding the value of education, Airic has recently made the decision to return to being a fulltime student to complete his masters degree.
Participating in the African and African American Studies Program helped me to understand my own American experience. This cultural education opened my consciousness to why life for me as an African American male is so contested, yet so critical. With the AAST program, I was able to travel abroad to Ghana and experience the places in Africa I had spent time researching. Because of the relationships I built within the AAST program, I was able to gain the necessary workforce experience to secure employment immediately upon graduation. Throughout my time at the U of A, the wisdom and professional development I obtained from the African and African American Studies Program have played a crucial role in my preparedness to continue studying African American history at the graduate level and travel abroad. My experience in the program has also deepened my commitment to provide inspiration for and access to higher education for individuals that come from disadvantaged backgrounds like myself. I would not be the person that I am today without the African and African American Studies Program.
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Airic Hughes, B.A. African and African American studies and history, 2011 Additional degrees: pursuing an M.A. history (University of Arkansas)
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This cultural education opened my consciousness to why life for me as an African American male is
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
so contested, yet so critical.
No matter your life goals, I encourage everyone to take an African and African American studies course or join the program. The curriculum and faculty encourage all to grow. This ultimately enhanced my ability to make positive decisions after college. I am who I am today because of this program. Several courses within the African and African American Studies Program provided me with skills and characteristics that helped me become successful and are still with me today.
On Dr. Calvin White’s course, African American History to 1877
Dr. White’s course introduced me to several aspects of African and African American history that I was unfamiliar with. His ability to present African Americans’ involvement in every major event in American history is what first intrigued my desire to learn all I could about our culture and pushed me to think more critically than ever before.
On Jason Williamson & Carl Riley’s: course, African Americans in Sports
This course intersected two key areas of my young life experience: competitive sports and blackness. In this course I was able to engage in meaningful and illuminating dialogue regarding many unknown and misconceived tenants of black people and completive sports.
On Dr. Pearl Dowe’s course, African American Politics
Dr. Dowe’s course was one of the most challenging courses of my undergraduate career. This course provided a keen understanding of the systemic political issues black people have faced in this country. I was fortunate enough to take this class in the spring of 2009 after the historic 2008 election of President Obama, and was therefore able to gain a fuller understanding of the historical strife that led to his election.
KHALEEL WHITE Khaleel White earned a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture in 2012 with a minor in African and African American studies. A native
Khaleel White, Landscape Architecture with a minor in African and African American studies
Jamaican, he came to Arkansas to pursue his degree and since graduation, has opened a landscaping business, White Landscaping Design, in Fayetteville.
I feel like the African and African American Studies Program adopted me. They have generously given me comfort, support, encouragement, selfawareness, a home, and most importantly a purpose in my academic career. This purpose allowed me to go into society and make a positive change for myself, as well as all of the family, friends, teachers, mentors, and colleges that gave me help when I had no power to help myself. They challenged me to improve myself academically and professionally. If you need any of these benefits, you can certainly find them in the AAST program.
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
KEVIN MORRIS II In April, the African and African American Studies Program in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences announced the acceptance of Kevin P. Morris II into the African American Literatures and Cultures Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Morris is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with a combined major in African and African American studies and philosophy. A native of Los Angeles, he graduated from Crenshaw High School and expects to graduate from the university in May 2014. The African American Literatures and Cultures Institute’s mission is to cultivate a diverse subset of students to join the American professoriate. This highly competitive program provides rigorous writing and research training to its students in preparation for doctorate programs, offers research stipends and immerses junior scholars in the basics of African American literature. “My parents laid a strong foundation for me in regards to African American history and culture,” said Morris. “While at the University of Arkansas, I have had the luxury of having professors who thought outside of the box, and it solidified my desire to become a professor.” Classical ethical theory, existentialism, literature, Hip-Hop and performance all contribute to Morris’ approach to African American studies. He chose the University of Arkansas because it combined his love for African American studies and philosophy and offered the best place for him to grow. This spring, Morris served as the dramaturg for the African and African American Studies Program’s sixth spring production, Waiting to Be Invited, directed by Clinnesha Sibley, assistant professor of drama. “Kevin is the type of student who craves intellectual pursuits,” said Sibley. “He also has a good deal of potential to lead in higher education.” After graduation, Morris plans to pursue a doctorate in African American studies, focusing on aspects of race, gender and sexuality through 12 | African and African American Studies
Kevin Morris II, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with a combined major in African and African American studies and philosophy
literature, drama and music. “We are very proud of Mr. Morris,” said Calvin White, Jr., associate professor of history and director of the African and African American Studies Program. “He is a prime example of the interdisciplinary nature of our program and the diversity of our class offerings. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Morris will one day take the podium as a professor, continuing the legacy of intellectual pursuit that began with the African and African American Studies Program.” “Being awarded this fellowship at the University of Texas-San Antonio African American Literatures and Cultures Institute is a great opportunity to develop more as a researcher, writer, and overall scholar,” said Morris Students assembled in San Antonio in June for a month-long seminar. They studied with leading
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT national scholars in African American literature, participated in a public literacy exhibit with their peers and senior scholars, and traveled to New York City to conduct academic research. Participants receive housing, course materials and a $2,000 stipend. They are exposed to cultural events and unique primary research material. As part of last year’s institute, students participated in a private viewing of Harriet and Harmon Kelley’s personal collection of African American art. The collection is one of the nation’s largest of its kind and is housed at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Kevin’s acceptance is a highlight of the many accomplishments our students achieve while in the African and African American Studies Program. We look forward to his continued success while at the university, and beyond graduation.
CAMERON WOODS Since the first time Cameron Woods visited Washington D.C., he knew that he would always come back to the city given the chance. When The Washington Center (TWC) program had a representative come to the University of Arkansas his freshman year, Cameron decided this would be his way of going back on a professional level. He worked hard and planned specifically to apply for the fall 2012 semester as the presidential election was approaching. In fall 2012, Cameron served as an intern with the Congressional Award Foundation. He says, “In this position, I learned the fundamentals of programming, recruitment, office management, and how to work with congressional offices. I had the opportunity to meet Congresswoman Maxine Waters and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, as well as Debra Lee and Paxton Baker of BET & Centric Networks.” Along with his coveted internship, Cameron enrolled in a course entitled “Road to the White House,” which is a partnership class between the C-SPAN Network, TWC George Mason University, and Purdue University. He gushes, “This was a political science’s major dream come true to have an entire class devoted to the presidential campaign taught by a political expert, C-SPAN’s
Cameron Woods, political science and journalism major with a minor in African and African American studies
Steve Scully, and a host of incredible guests such as Newt Minow and John Heilemann.” Cameron reflects on his semesters at the U of A, stating, “I would not have been prepared for or been in TWC program if it had not been for the support and guidance I’ve received from the African and African American studies faculty. By being an African and African American studies minor, I am already opening my mind to truly learning about a great history that will help me in my future. The methods in critical thinking coupled with the enhanced writing I learned in Dr. White’s African American history courses have benefited me in many ways this semester. It allows me to complete tasks at work and even helped when I assisted in the training of a new regional manager.” “Even though my immediate postundergraduate plans are not complete, I know for Fall 2013 | 13
a fact I want to go into education. Eventually, I hope to be a Multicultural or Diversity Affairs Dean, which is why I appreciate my internship for teaching me programming and recruitment methods. To those first and second year students, I say to step out of your comfort zone. Whether it is public speaking or traveling far way, college days swiftly pass and you should take this time to explore new things because you never know what you might like.”
STUDY ABROAD
MARGARET GENDER
Margaret Gender, recipient of the African and African American Studies Study Abroad Scholarship, is originally from Kirkwood, Missouri. Pursuing a combined major in African and African American studies and French and a member of the Honors College, she has an extraordinary performance record throughout her tenure at the University of Arkansas. Her passion for African and African American studies is evident in and out of the classroom. While she excels at her studies, she is also involved in non-academic activities, recently serving as a cast member in the program’s annual spring play, Waiting to be Invited. Gender plans to use her scholarship toward a program in Cameroon during the fall of 2013. While in country, she will study social pluralism, development, and culture. “Being in this program has really made me stay at the University of Arkansas,” said Gender. “I have found a home and support in my collegiate studies.” We wish Margaret the best on her trip to Cameroon. Look for her blog this fall where she will share her experience abroad. If you are interested in study abroad opportunities like Margaret’s, stay tuned for information to come on our Ghana study abroad program for summer 2014. We will be offering competitive scholarships as well for members of our program.
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Margaret Genter, combined major in African and African American studies and French
Find out more about the Ghana Study Abroad trip on page 30.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
GRADUATE SCHOOL BOUND
EMILY NOAH
BRENT PERKINS
The African and African American Studies Program applauds Emily Noah, who has been accepted into the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public History Graduate Program. Noah was a history major with a minor in African and African American studies. She will earn her Masters degree under the direction of Dr. Charles Romney, graduate coordinator of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public History Program. Noah’s career goals include becoming a curator for a historical museum. She praises the excellent professors within the University of Arkansas African and African American Studies Program for “their high expectations” that pushed her “to become a better student, writer, and historian.” Additionally, Noah’s academic experiences as an African and African American studies student will serve her in her masters program as she hopes to present African American history to a public that is largely unfamiliar with this vital and fascinating field of study. Best wishes to Emily at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock!
Congratulations to Brent Perkins, who has been accepted into the University of Mississippi History Graduate Program. Perkins was a history major with a minor in African and African American studies, and was initiated into the prestigious honor society, Phi Beta Kappa, this spring. He will pursue his masters degree under the direction of Dr. Charles Ross, head of the University of Mississippi African American Studies Department. Dr. Ross’ expertise on African Americans in sports will guide Perkins’ own research topic, the impact of the Negro League baseball. Perkins credits the African and African American Studies Program at the University of Arkansas for preparing him in “countless ways” to advance his academic career. He states that without this program and the leadership of Dr. Calvin White, Jr., he would have “never discovered this passion for the history of African American involvement and success in this country.” Best of luck to Brent as he pursues his goals at the University of Mississippi! Fall 2013 | 15
GRADUATE STUDENTS
JUSTIN CLARDY Justin Leonard Clardy is a doctoral student in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Arkansas specializing in moral philosophy with an emphasis on philosophy of love and social/ political philosophy. He received his Bachelor of Science in philosophy from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
Justin claims that “As a Pepperdine student, I worked in the office of intercultural affairs and helped found the on-campus organization D.R.E.A.M. (Dramatically Reconstructing Education through African-American Men), serving as its Communications Chairman for two years. I also played an instrumental role in helping Pepperdine establish its inaugural Multicultural Graduation Ceremony. These commitments to social improvement fundamentally prepared me for my research as a philosophy student at the University of Arkansas, and my involvement in the African and African American Studies Program— experiences that are essentially connected to one another. “African and African American studies has had a remarkable impact on my work that centers on the subject of love. My masters thesis, titled ‘Love, Reason, and Romantic Relationships,’ argues that the relationship between love and reason is much closer than we believe and raises questions that are philosophically interesting. Perhaps if we understand what love is, we can begin to solve some of our social and political problems through the prophetic approach grown organically in Dr. King and contemporarily cultivated in the work of Dr. Cornel West. “Most importantly, the University of Arkansas African and African American Studies Program has also afforded me access to a community of outstanding black scholars that have influenced my work and my life. Dr. Calvin 16 | African and African American Studies
Justin Clardy, Ph. D. student, philosophy, University of Arkansas Additional degrees earned: B.S., Pepperdine University
White, Jr. has especially influenced my experiences here in Arkansas. This program has reaffirmed my belief that we must have a profound love for humanity and a deep concern for the welfare of our community if we will witness positive changes for our nation’s most critical issues of education, poverty, and race in America.”
GRADUATE STUDENTS
MISTI NICOLE HARPER
MARY MARGARET HUI In 2009, Mary Margaret Hui graduated cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in history and drama with a minor in African and African American studies. In 2011, she earned a Master of Arts in history, also at the U of A under the direction of Dr. Calvin White, Jr. She is currently a doctoral student in the Higher Education Administration Program. In addition, Mary Margaret is the Senior Graduate Assistant for the African and African American Studies Program. Outside of her studies, she is a member of the All
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Honestly, this program has changed my life, and I would not be where I am today without it.
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Misti Nicole Harper earned her B.A. in theatre from the University of the Ozarks in 2004 and her masters in history from the University of Central Arkansas in 2011. She is a thirdyear history Ph. D. student at the University of Arkansas and a graduate assistant for the African and African American Studies Program. Harper is a Southern historian who examines civil rights movements. Her dissertation project, tentatively titled “Conservative Brassbounds: Gender, Class and School Integration at Central High and Holy Cross,” compares segregationist and Protestant working-class women’s political activity in 1957 Little Rock and Belfast in 2001. “Southern history and culture has fascinated me since I was kid growing up in the piney woods of Louisiana and southern Arkansas. The African and African American Studies Program at the University of Arkansas has not only provided me a far more profound understanding of that history, but the opportunity to advance through the direction of an outstanding community of scholars, especially my advisor, Dr. Calvin White, Jr., and Dr. James Gigantino II. This program’s graduate courses offers an academic and social perspective essential to comprehending contemporary America.”
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University Academic Integrity Board and the Graduate Dean’s Student Advisory Board. Mary Margaret is also the Interim Vice President for the Graduate Student Congress. “There is nothing on this campus that means more to me than the African and African American Studies Program. As an undergraduate, this program gave me a purpose and a passion that I lacked in my studies. When I first began studying African American drama, I was compelled to further my studies and ultimately declared a minor in AAST and an additional major in history. As a woman of color, it meant so much to me to find an academic program that challenged me to analyze the concept and construct of race in a scholarly setting. My passion for AAST continued through my graduate studies, becoming my life’s work as it is the focus of my doctoral dissertation. Additionally, it has been wonderful to work as the program’s graduate assistant because it is fulfilling academically and professionally. The professors in AAST are also my mentors, particularly Dr. Calvin White, Jr., and have allowed me the opportunity to grow. Honestly, this program has changed my life, and I would not be where I am today without it.”
FALL 2013 COURSE OFFERINGS Course Number: AAST 1003 Course Title: Introduction to African and African American Studies Instructor: Caree Banton Meeting Time: TU TH 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm Course Number: AAST 499V/SCWK 405V Course Title: Social Work with African American Families Instructor: Derrick Echoles Meeting Time: MW 4:30 pm - 5:45 pm Course Number: AAST 499V/SCWK 405V Course Title: Trauma, Loss, and Recovery: African American Perspectives Instructor: Valandra Meeting Time: MW 3:05 pm - 4:20 pm
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Course Number: AAST 499V/HIST 3983 Course Title: Special Topics: Afro-Caribbean History Instructor: Caree Banton Meeting Time: TU TH 9:30 am - 10:45 am Course Number: AAST 499V/ENGL 4573 Course Title: Special Topics: The Harlem Renaissance Instructor: Benjamin Fagan Meeting Time: TU TH 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Course Number: AAST/JOUR/COMM 3263 Course Title: African Americans in Film Instructor: Carmen Coustaut Meeting Time: ONLINE Course Number: AAST/JOUR/COMM 3263 Course Title: African American Politics Instructor: Pearl Dowe Meeting Time: TU TH 9:30 am - 10:45 am Course Number: AAST/HIST 3243 Course Title: African American History Since 1877 Instructor: Misti Harper Meeting Time: M W F 9:40 am - 10:30 am Course Number: DRAM 4463 Course Title: African American Theatre History 1950 to Present Instructor: Clinnesha Sibley Meeting Time: TU TH 9:30 am - 10:45 am Course Number: HIST 4123 Course Title: Africa and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Instructor: Andrea Arrington Meeting Time: TU TH 9:30 am - 10:45 am Course Number: AAST/HIST 4383 Course Title: The American Civil Rights Movement Instructor: Calvin White Meeting Time: M W F 9:40 am - 10:30 am Course Number: AAST/HIST 4483 Course Title: African American Biographies Instructor: Calvin White Meeting Time: M W F 10:45 am - 11:35 am Course Number: SWAH 1116 Course Title: Intensive Swahili I Instructor: Sabrina Billings Meeting Time: M W F 10:45 am - 12:40 pm
ADVISING INFO We are excited to announce that all academic advising for Fulbright College is now being offered through the Fulbright Advising Center. If you have any questions regarding course offerings or your combined major/minor program of study, please ask an academic advisor. Visit their website at fcac.uark.edu to make an appointment or for more information.
SUGGESTED SUMMER READING LIST In May 2013, the African and African American Studies Program began encouraging students, faculty, and other interested members of community to read selections of African and African American fiction through our Facebook page. We believe that these readings are not only beneficial to AAST students and faculty, but may serve as springboard for inciting general interest in African and African American studies and our program. We invite you to join us in reading these acclaimed works!
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SILAS HUNT
Silas Hunt monument created by Arkansas sculptor Bryan Massey, professor of art at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
In 1948, Silas Herbert Hunt pioneered a trail at the University of Arkansas by becoming the first African American student admitted to the University since Reconstruction. Admitted into the University of Arkansas School of Law, Hunt broke further barriers as the first African American student admitted to an exclusively white Southern graduate or professional studies program. A native Arkansan, Hunt graduated with distinction from Booker T. Washington High School in Texarkana. Afterward, he attended Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Normal College (AM&N), one of the state’s historically black colleges and now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. World War II and the draft interrupted his academic career. For nearly two years, Hunt served with the construction engineers in Europe before being wounded at the Battle of the Bulge and discharged from service. Upon his return, he resumed his education at Arkansas AM&N and graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in English in 1947. During this time, Hunt became interested in attending law school. He decided on this career choice in an era during which Southern universities
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attempted to circumvent the landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson that established the doctrine “separate but equal” by offering to pay African American students’ tuition to out of state schools rather than accept them at in-state institutions. Despite his acceptance to the University of Indiana School of Law, the struggles of other African American collegiates to break color barriers at Southern institutions inspired him to apply to the University of Arkansas. The state of Arkansas’ inability to afford to fund out of state tuition for African American students, and the University’s shrewd observance of the negative backlash that continued segregation created for other schools, propelled officials to accept qualified African American graduate applicants. In January 1948, the University of Arkansas became the first Southern school to accept black students since Reconstruction. On February 2, 1948, Silas Hunt arrived on campus with an impressive academic record from Arkansas AM&N and the merit of distinguished military service. In short order, university officials admitted Hunt into the University’s School of Law. Admittance into the University of Arkansas
did not constitute acceptance at the University, however. Accepted on “conditional admittance,” Hunt was barred from dormitories and other campus facilities. Without on campus lodging, he relied on the generosity of Fayetteville’s African American community and Saint James Methodist Church for housing and inclusion. During classes, he was segregated from other students by partitions and at meals, forced to eat in the basement of the cafeteria. A handful of white students and at least one faculty member befriended Hunt in a then exceptional attempt to know a fellow collegiate who endured profound loneliness and isolation to achieve an education. Unfortunately, Hunt completed only one semester at the University before illness forced him to withdraw from the School of Law. After suffering from tuberculosis, he died at the veterans’ hospital in Springfield, Missouri in April 1949. Today, Hunt’s groundbreaking achievements are celebrated at the University of Arkansas. Silas H. Hunt Hall is dedicated to his memory, and the Silas Hunt Legacy Awards annually recognize exceptional African Americans whose contributions impact the University of Arkansas, the state of Arkansas, the United States, or the global community. Today, the University of Arkansas continues to honor Hunt’s legacy in the symbolism of the Silas Hunt Memorial Sculpture. Dedicated on August 29, 2012, the artwork by Bryan Massey, professor of art at the University of Central Arkansas, reminds the campus and the community of Hunt’s impact on integration at the University of Arkansas and in colleges and universities throughout the South.
AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM AND SUPPORT In recent years, support for the African and African American Studies Program — formerly the African American Studies Program — in the Fulbright College has grown faster than anyone could have predicted. Students of all backgrounds are taking classes, and alumni and friends of the university are taking notice of the interest surrounding this growing program on campus.
At the time of this writing, four generous gifts from private supporters have made an immeasurable difference for students deserving of and in need of financial assistance: Ronnie Brewer, University of Arkansas alumnus and one of the 2010 Silas Hunt Legacy Award recipients, endowed a scholarship in his name to support the program and majors and minors. Another gift established the Dillard’s and CDI Contractors, LLC Endowed Scholarship in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences to support African American Studies. Former University of Arkansas professor Dick Bennett funded the Bayard Rustin Endowed Scholarship in African American Studies. The L.E. Gene and Jean Hudson Access Arkansas Scholarship is specifically reserved for students in the program.
MAKE A GIFT If you would like to make a contribution to the African and African American Studies program, please contact Ashlie Hilbun in the office of development and external relations at 479-575-3712 or Fulbright@uark.edu.
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JOINT APPOINTMENT FACULTY
CAREE BANTON
BENJAMIN FAGAN
Dr. Caree Banton is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the African and African Studies Program and the Department of History. She received her Ph.D. in history from Vanderbilt University and an M.A. in Development Studies from the University of Ghana. Dr. Banton also attended the University of New Orleans and Grambling State University. Her research focuses on abolition, Caribbean post-emancipation, and colonization in the 19th century. Her interests are in the significance of these movements to the Caribbean, the African Diaspora, and the larger Atlantic World. Dr. Banton’s dissertation, “More Auspicious Shores’: Post-Emancipation Barbadian Emigrants in Pursuit of Freedom, Citizenship, and Nationhood in Liberia, 1834 – 1912”, explored migration from the West Indies (particularly Barbados) to Africa (particularly Liberia) and the implications of this to experiences of freedom, citizenship, and black nation-building.
Dr. Benjamin Fagan holds a joint appointment in the African and African American Studies Program and the Department of English. He received his B.A. from the University of Iowa and his Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia. He specializes in African American literature and cultures of print. He has written on the impact of the Haitian Revolution on black abolitionism as well as the ways in which theories and acts of translation help clarify the concept of black transnationalism, and is currently completing a book manuscript that examines how the institutional and material forms of black newspapers helped shape ideas of black chosenness in the decades before the Civil War.
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JOINT APPOINTMENT FACULTY
BRANDON JACKSON
VALANDRA
Dr. Brandon A. Jackson holds a joint appointment in the African and African American Studies Program and the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. His research explores the processes associated with social mobility among young black adults, and how gender, race, and class shape these processes. His current research project examines how a group of black men on a college campus use the concept of brotherhood to foster social mobility. Dr. Jackson’s scholarship has received awards from the Association of Black Sociologists and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. Born and raised in Texas, he received a B.A. in sociology from Southern Methodist University and a Ph.D. from Florida State University.
Dr. Valandra is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the African and African American Studies Program and the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas. She holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, a Masters of Business Administration, and a bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska. Her research interests focus on trauma-informed experiences related to gender-based violence across the life cycle and its intersections with interlocking systems of privilege, oppression, and poverty. Her dissertation “African American Mothers, Parenting Networks, and Attachment” examines the parenting practices of African American women survivors of sexual trauma within the context of intergenerational family systems with attention to trauma management, parenting networks, and sociocultural environment. Valandra has also conducted and published research on the healing needs of African American women escaping prostitution and published on the risk factors African American children can face in disclosing experiences of child sexual abuse. Her articles appear in the academic referred journals Affila: Journal of Women and Social Work, Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research, and The National Association of Social Work –Specialty Practice Sections - Child Welfare Section Connection.
aast.uark.edu
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ADJUNCT FACULTY
TAMARA ST. MARTHE
DERRICK ECHOLES
Dr. Tamara St. Marthe received a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from Midwestern State University, a Master of Arts in interpersonal and organizational communication, and a Doctorate of Education in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas. Her doctoral studies focused in part on trends, issues and problems affecting women and minorities in higher education. Her dissertation, entitled “Female Academic Department Chairs at a Public, Very High Research Activity University: Exploring Their Career Pathways to Success” examines the career paths of women advancing into leadership positions in four-year higher education institutions. Dr. St. Marthe also taught Fundamentals of Communication at the University of Arkansas for two years. She spent over three years representing graduate and minority students and collaborating with key administrators by serving on the Graduate Dean’s Student Advisory Board, Graduate Council Committee, Academic Appeals Committee, University Health Advisory Committee, and the Library Student Advisory Committee at the University of Arkansas. We are excited to welcome her to the AAST community.
Professor Derrick R. Echoles is an Academic Counselor in the Fulbright College Advising Center. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy in educational administration and higher education with a cognate in social work from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Mr. Echoles earned both his Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Arts in higher education/student personnel from the University of Mississippi. His research interests include diversity in higher education, college student success and retention, and African American college men. Additionally, he is also a member of several professional higher education associations. In addition to being a wonderful Academic Counselor, Mr. Echoles is a great addition to the AAST faculty.
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FACULTY NEWS
CALVIN WHITE, JR. The Rise to Respectability: Race, Religion and the Church of God in Christ The Rise to Respectability documents the history of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) and examines its cultural and religious impact on African Americans and on the history of the South. It explores the ways in which Charles Harrison Mason, the son of slaves and founder of COGIC, embraced a Pentecostal faith that celebrated charismatic forms of religious expression that many blacks had come to view as outdated, unsophisticated, and embarrassing. While examining the intersection of race, religion, and class, The Rise to Respectability details how the denomination dealt with the stringent standard of bourgeois behavior imposed on churchgoers as they moved from Southern rural areas into the urban centers in both the South and North. Rooted in the hardships of slavery and coming of age during Jim Crow, COGIC’s story is more than a religious debate. Rather, this book sees the history of the Church as interwoven with the Great Migration, the struggle for modernity, class tension, and racial animosity—all representative parts of the African American experience. Calvin White, Jr. is an associate professor of history and director of the African and African American Studies Program at the University of Arkansas. He teaches African American and Southern history.
JAMES GIGANTINO II Freedom and Slavery in the Garden of America: African Americans and Abolition in New Jersey, 1775-1861 Dr. James Gigantino II has recently signed a contract with the University of Pennsylvania Press to publish his book, Freedom and Slavery in the Garden of America: African Americans and Abolition in New Jersey, 1775-1861, as part of its Early American Studies
series published in partnership with the McNeil Center for Early American Studies. Gigantino’s book explores slavery’s long life and slow death in New Jersey. He vividly shows how Northerners clung tightly to slavery, participated in the domestic slave trade, and twisted the state’s abolition laws into helping them create new forms of bondage. His work questions much of what historians know about early America by problematizing the long-held notion of a “free North.” This allows him to challenge historical understandings of the formation of free black communities, the second abolition movement, and divisions among the states leading up to the Civil War. The University of Pennsylvania Press’s faculty editorial board describes Dr. Gigantino’s forthcoming book as “groundbreaking.”
CLINNESHA SIBLEY King Me: Three One-Act Plays Inspired by the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor Clinnesha D. Sibley’s anthology of plays, King Me, is a trio of short dramas set in the South and spans 1968 to the present. King Me features compelling characters and relevant themes that examine our ongoing understanding of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The three works included in the anthology, Bound by Blood, #communicate, and Paradox in the Parish, richly dramatize three of King’s popular quotes, offering creative methods for teaching history and social studies and setting the stage for inspiring discussions for contemporary theater goers. Readers and audiences will also learn about current civil rights issues such as the Jena Six Case in Jena, Louisiana, while appreciating, or appreciating anew, how King impacted the lives of his own and future generations. Fall 2013 | 25
FACULTY NEWS
CHARLES F. ROBINSON II University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart has announced that Dr. Charles F. Robinson II has been named Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Community. Robinson, 47, is a professor of history and previously served as Vice Provost for Diversity Affairs within the university’s division of academic affairs. In the latter role, he served as one of nine members of the chancellor’s executive committee, the university’s senior policy advisory council. “Dr. Robinson has a well-deserved reputation as a scholar, mentor and higher education advocate in Arkansas and beyond,” Gearhart said. “This promotion reflects both Dr. Robinson’s leadership within the executive committee and on campus as well as the centrality of his office’s work to the university’s goals and objectives. “I appreciate Chancellor Gearhart’s decision and the confidence he and Provost Sharon Gaber continue to place in me,” Robinson said. “I have a great respect for them and my colleagues. More important, I have a strong commitment to helping the University of Arkansas provide even greater educational opportunities and resources to the people of our state.” In his new role, Robinson will continue to lead and coordinate the university’s diversity initiatives. Those include facilitating the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students, faculty and staff and enhancing the university’s diverse, multicultural nature and climate. In addition, Robinson will have administrative responsibility for the university’s office of equal opportunity and compliance. He will be one of six vice chancellors advising Gearhart on all campus issues. Robinson’s promotion took effect on July 1. He received his bachelors degree in history at the University of Houston. He earned a masters degree in history from Rice University and a doctoral degree in history from the University of Houston. Robinson’s 22-year career in higher education began at Houston (Texas) Community College, where he 26 | African and African American Studies
Dr. Charles F. Robinson II, Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Community, Professor of History
taught for nine years. Since joining the U of A in 1999, he has achieved the rank of full professor of history and has served as director of the university’s African and African American Studies Program. During his tenure at the University of Arkansas, Robinson has been awarded the Fulbright College Master Teacher Award, the Arkansas Alumni Distinguished Teacher Award, and the Student Alumni Board Teacher of the Year Award. He has also been cited for excellence and inducted into the university’s Teaching Academy. In 2006, Robinson received the Black Students Association’s Lonnie R. Williams Bridging Excellence Award. He also received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award from the MLK Council of Northwest Arkansas. Robinson has published three scholarly
FACULTY NEWS works: Dangerous Liaisons: Sex and Love in the Segregated South; Forsaking All Others: Interracial Love, Violence, Betrayal and Revenge in the Post Civil War South; and Remembrances in Black: Personal Perspectives of the African American Experience at the University of Arkansas, 1940s-2000s. In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Robinson has selfpublished a historical fiction, Engaging Missouri: An Epic Drama of Love, Honor and Redemption across the Color Line.
YVETTE MURPHY-ERBY In 2013, Dr. Yvette Murphy-Erby, director and faculty member of the School of Social Work in the J. W. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, earned the rank of full professor. She is the third African American in the college’s history to reach the rank of full professor and the first African American woman to do so. Dr. Murphy-Erby earned her Ph.D. in human development and family studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Since joining the University of Arkansas campus in 2004, Dr. Murphy-Erby has been recognized as Outstanding Faculty for the University Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education, as well as earned the 2013 Health and Human Sciences Pacesetter Award. Her service continues beyond campus, as she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. One of her civic contributions is The Circle of Support, which she co-founded in 2011. The group was created to foster support and cohesiveness among African American students in the School of Social Work. Members of the Circle of Support mentor, educate, and support the students and enhance professional development, conduct community service and promote retention. Before joining the University of Arkansas faculty in 2004, Murphy-Erby had almost 20 years of social work experience, focused primarily on child welfare issues. In addition to her promotion as full professor, Dr. Murphy-Erby was also appointed as Interim Associate Dean of the J. William
Dr. Yvette Murphy-Erby, Director of the School of Social Work, Professor of Social Work
Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. She is the first African American in the history of Fulbright College to be appointed as dean as well as the first African American to be appointed as the chair of a department. Congratulations to Dr. Murphy-Erby on her promotions!
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FACULTY NEWS
CALVIN WHITE, JR. Dr. Calvin White, Jr., director of the African and African American Studies Program and faculty member in the Department of History in the J. W. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, earned the rank of associate professor in 2013. Additionally this year, Dr. White was named a Fellow of the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program and celebrated the publication of his first book, The Rise to Respectability: Race, Religion and The Church of God in Christ. Fulbright College recognized his service to students as he received the Outstanding Advisor Award. Dr. White had a particularly busy schedule, as he was also the keynote speaker for several university and community events, including the Associated Student Government Martin Luther King, Jr. Vigil and the Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebration.
Calvin White, Jr., Director of the African and African American Studies Program
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Dr. White sharing a funny moment with the graduate assistants in the office.
FACULTY NEWS
PEARL DOWE Dr. Pearl K. Dowe is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science. Her articles have appeared in journals such as Journal of Black Studies, Presidential Studies Quarterly, and Race Class and Gender. Dowe’s most recent research focused on understanding racial attitudes, behaviors, and campaign strategies in the era of Obama. Her expertise on race and behavior was highlighted in a New York Times Room For Debate discussion titled “The South’s Enduring Conservatism.” In her editorial “A Struggle to Maintain Privilege,” Dowe argued “coalitions for real change are impossible when keeping the status quo even trumps economic self-interest.” Dowe’s commitment to diversity at the University of Arkansas has culminated in a litany of awards, including the Fulbright College’s Nudie E. Williams Diversity Award, the NAACP Faculty of the Year Award, and the University of Arkansas Greek Life’s Order of Omega Faculty of the Year Award. Additionally, she published articles over the last academic year in Political Psychology, Polity, and Social Science Quarterly. Dowe is currently developing a book manuscript that focuses on African American opinion and attitudes during the Obama years.
Dr. Pearl K. Dowe, Assistant Professor of Political Science
ANDREA ARRINGTON & SABRINA BILLINGS
Left: Dr. Andrea Arrington, Assistant Professor of History Right: Dr. Sabrina Billings, Assistant Professor of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Dr. Andrea Arrington, assistant professor of history, and Dr. Sabrina Billings, assistant professor of world languages, literatures, and cultures earned the University of Arkansas Honors College Curriculum Development Grant of $24, 810 for co-developing a new Honors course entitled, “Gender and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa.” This course promises to be an exciting one and contributes to our growing course offerings in African and African American studies.
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STUDY ABROAD GHANA Start Saving and Preparing for Ghana! We hope you will join us on our study abroad trip in the summer of 2014. This program began in 2010, with the efforts of Dr. Andrea Arrington and Dr. Calvin White, Jr. The program will launch for the third time in summer 2014. Now is a great time to begin saving. Start planning early by saving earnings from your summer job as well as prepare by getting your passport. Several of our students were able to supplement the cost of their trip with the African and African American Studies Study Abroad Scholarship, educational loans, Pell Grants, Honors College scholarships, and personal savings. This program will allow students to gain an experiential education of Ghana’s role in the transAtlantic slave trade, colonialism, pan-Africanism, and the modern world. Prior to departing, faculty will teach on the University of Arkansas campus to provide an intensive study in the course material (6 hours credit). Students and faculty will fly as a group, and arrive in Accra, Ghana’s capital and largest city. At which time, the group will travel to the northern region of the country to study the differences in culture between Ghana’s regions. These differences include religion, food, resources, and other nuances that are best observed through experience. For the remainder of the program, students will travel south through Ghana, following the slave trade route. Our upcoming trip to Ghana promises to be our largest yet, so we encourage you to begin planning now to make your enrollment as effortless as possible.
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COFFEE WITH THE PROFESSORS
This year, the African and African American Studies Program hosted Coffee with the Professors, an event that allows students and professors to connect and converse in a casual setting. We were thrilled by the turnout at our first event on October 4, 2012 where student attendance outsized our conference space in the African and African American studies office in 13 Duncan, #24. Because of the overwhelming success of the first Coffee with the Professors, we scheduled our second event on February 26, 2013 at Big Momma’s Coffee House and Espresso Bar on Dickson Street. Once more, the African and African American Studies Program enjoyed a stellar turnout as scores of students engaged with one another, graduate assistants, and professors to discuss a variety of topics, from declaring majors and minors in AAST to our study abroad program in Ghana. As our faculty and student numbers continue to increase in AAST, we look forward to hosting more Coffee with the Professors this year!
THANK YOU The African and African American Studies Program would like to extend a very special thank you to the following people for their contributions to our program and their help in making the inaugural edition of this magazine possible: • • • • • • • •
Ali Williams, Webmaster, J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Darinda Sharp, Director of Communications, J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences University Relations Jeanne Short, Administrative Support Supervisor for the Department of History Brenda Foster, Administrative Assistant for the Department of History Melinda Adams, Administrative Assistant for the Department of History Melissa King, Marketing Director of University of Arkansas Press All who submitted information Fall 2013 | 31
Cannons of the Cape Coast Fort, Ghana, Africa 32 | African and African American Studies