Academic Program Committee Welcome

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 2022

LOCATION IN-PERSON RENAISSANCE MONTGOMERY HOTEL & SPA AT THE CONVENTION CENTER OR PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY.

Dear Conference Participants, The Academic Program Committee would like to welcome you to the I 07th Annual Meeting and Conference of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History! We are proud to gather here in Montgomery, Alabama under the 2022 Black History Theme, “Black Health and Wellness,” which focuses on the myriad of opportunities and barriers – past and present – to the physical, emotional and mental well-being of Black communities. From the earliest encounters between Black people brought to America and western researchers and health practitioners, African Americans have fought against medical experimentation, destructive theories like eugenics, shoddy medical treatment and systemic inequities in their quest to be healthy and well. Our first in-person conference following the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, reminds us of the impact that health inequity has on communities of color. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, data consistently show that people of color have experienced disproportionate rates of illness and death due to COVID-19, with three times premature excess deaths per 100,000 people in the US in 2020 than the rate among White or Asian people. The higher rates of illness and death among people of color reflect increased risk of exposure to the virus due to living, working, and transportation situations, increased risk of experiencing serious illness if infected due to higher rates of underlying health conditions, and increased barriers to testing and treatment due to existing disparities in access to health care. In addition to considerations of the medical community and the physical body, the theme Black Health and Wellness lends itself to the exploration of the intersections of education, the arts, activism, politics and culture on health and wellness. As such, we have assembled panels, papers and plenary sessions that fully investigate the legacy of the quest for Black wellness, including investigations of racial violence, the struggle for civil rights and trauma that negatively impact the emotional and mental health of Black people. And we will celebrate the extraordinary resilience of Black people that continues to move our communities forward. As we mark our 107th Conference in Montgomery, we reflect on the city’s history as the cradle of the American Civil Rights Movement and on its current legacy as home to one of the most poignant memorials, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We are grateful to be in this place to explore the many facets of Black health and wellness with you. The Academic Program Committee leadership extends its deepest gratitude to our National President, the Vice Presidents and members of the Executive Council, the Executive Director, and all the committee chairs and heads whose hard work has made this conference possible. It is a pleasure to continue the legacy of our founder, Carter G. Woodson, as we continue to further historical research to preserve the history and culture of African Americans. Sincerely, Arwin D. Smallwood, Co-Chair Academic Program Committee Darius Young, Co-Chair Academic Program Committee Lionel Kimble, Co-Chair Academic Program Committee Gregory Mixon, Vice-Chair Academic Program Committee -Shirley Chisholm