Letter From the Chair

Dr. Sangeetha Madhavan

2022 was a year marked by continued excellence in research and teaching by our faculty despite the ongoing challenges of COVID. Through cutting edge research supported by significant grant funding, our faculty are addressing a number of Grand Challenges facing the DMV, the country and the world. Thanks, in large part to our professional track faculty, we continue to offer courses that challenge UMD students to think critically about pressing issues that face our communities. The department has also maintained a robust engagement with the UMD community through a series of events that has brought scholars from other universities conducting innovative research on Black communities. One highlight was the Big Ten Academic Alliance African American Studies Workshop we hosted in June, that brought together chairs and faculty from our peer institutions to discuss common challenges and exchange ideas for shared growth of the field. Lastly, I am most indebted to our amazing staff who work tirelessly to support all the work of the department. It is with deep gratitude and pride that I invite you to read about the amazing work of the African American Studies Department in this news magazine.