History
The UNCG AADS program shares a rich history with the city of Greensboro: a location in the Underground Railroad, a hotbed for Civil Rights activism, and home of the Greensboro sit-ins.
Establishment of Program (1980s)
Between 1981-1982, following concerns named by student groups and the faculty-led Black Studies Committee (BSC), the university administration was requested to address race relations on campus and the representation of minority students and faculty. These groups argued that the administration and social programming agencies on campus were not sensitive to the academic and social needs of minorities, specifically Black students. The Black Student Alliance (BSA) noted that the Student Government Association failed to address and represent the concerns of Black students, citing their overlook of racial tensions on campus.[citation needed]
The BSA felt the administration, the Student Development Advisory Board, and the Media Board were responsible to collectively become the catalyst for better racial relations at UNCG. The BSA requested the following changes from the administration:
- to develop a new process for hiring Black faculty
- to adjust the percentage of Black faculty on campus to be proportionate to the percentage of Black students
- to develop more courses that pertain to minorities in all areas of study
- to revise the current curriculum to reflect the achievements
- to accomplishments of Blacks in all academic disciplines, and to use more sensitivity in administrative practices concerning minorities.[1]
In December 1982, a formal petition was filed and signed by faculty and students urging the administration at UNCG to support and implement a Black Studies Program and to integrate Black Studies into existing courses.[2]
There was renewed interest in these demands after a white student called a Black student dorm employee by a racial slur. As a result, Black students once again urged the administration to support the establishment of a Black Studies Program.
Students argued that additional Black faculty would unify Black and white students and that more Black faculty would offer much-needed role models the school’s 1,292 Black students (10.1 percent of the student population at the time.) Students also argued that courses with a Black or an African emphasis would help broaden white students’ understanding of Black people. Before the 1983, only 15 faculty were Black (or 2.39 percent of UNCG’s 628 full and part-time faculty.)[3]
Minor Established (1983-86)
Despite the implementation of a “student designed” minor, there was no formal Black Studies Program created. UNCG administrators and faculty determined that Black Studies-related courses would become part of a flexible interdepartmental program. The 1983-84 course catalog featured 11 classes that students could use for a designed minor in Black Studies. The minor would have to be approved by the Ad Hoc Committee on Black Studies (BCS).[4]
The Black Studies Committee reported that the University did not approve an official Black Studies Program specifically designed courses due to a lack of consensus toward the design of the minor, inadequate staff resources, and too few relevant courses available. In order to become recognized on campus, the BSC decided to spread awareness to current and entering students about designing a minor in addition to evaluating and developing new course offerings. The aim was to create a solid foundation of course offerings to become an established program, develop a strong case for additional Black faculty, and promote a better understanding of what Black Studies programs constitute.[5]
The Chair of the BSC, Dr. Lee Bernick, proposed to formalize the Black Studies minor in 1983. The BSC proposed offering one or two courses on Black Studies; a re-evaluation of current and new course offerings; an independent research project in Black Studies; and the use of courses offered at the other four Greensboro colleges/universities to supplement the program’s listings.[6]
In 1986, the first Black Studies-specific courses were offered towards a minor in Black Studies: BKS 100 – Blacks in America, and BKS 110 – Blacks in American Society: Social Economic, and Political Perspectives.
In the following years, the BSC and Committee on Minority Affairs remained concerned that the low level of racial diversity on campus was associated with the need to recruit (and retain) Black faculty and to enroll (and retain) more Black students at the university. The Black Studies Program at UNCG was viewed as one approach to cultivate multiculturalism and understanding.
1990s
In the early 1990s, the program Chair, Dr. Willie Barber, proposed a name change, from “Black Studies” to “African American Studies.” The BSC committee agreed that the decision would be left up to the students themselves.[7]
It was decided that “African American” more accurately expressed the cultural heritage of the people it represents: the roots of Black people throughout the world exist in African soil, but “African American” also connotes an international context that is more consistent with the multi-cultural awareness and contemporary educational demands. The curriculum reflects this cultural diversity: courses range from treatments of African Caribbeans to Black Americans and aim to incorporate the many areas of the African American experience.[8]
Following feedback from students, the proposition was voted on and passed to adopt “African American Studies” as the new program title. This change became official in late 1992.[9]
In 1991-92, Dr. Angela Rhone assumed the Chair position. Under her leadership, the program focused on ways to establish a well-defined program for the minor degree.
In 1991, the minor in Black Studies (BKS) was approved. That same year, two part-time faculty were hired to teach courses in Black Studies/African American Studies. The students began to contribute to the Carolina Peacemaker, Greensboro’s Black newspaper, and it was incorporated in all BKS/AFS classes as a teaching tool.
A number of special events were implemented that engaged students and the community. “African Americans and the 1992 Election” featured a variety of guest speakers, as well as the AFS Program Film and Lecture series that featured a number of prominent African American historical figures, and addressed key issues such as racism in America and how Black people are portrayed in the media.[10]
In 1992, BKS/AFS courses (100, 110 and 200) were approved to fulfill All-University Liberal Education Requirements (AULER), which was designed to promote a broad, liberal education for all students at the university. The first objective of the African American Studies curriculum was to “signify to the university community that teaching and learning about the history and experiences of Blacks in American society is an integral part of a university education.”[11]
Enrollment in AFS courses steadily increased from 1992 to 1995. The program continued to fight for the hiring of tenured faculty.
Dr. Frank Woods assumed the Chair/Director position in 1994. Dr. Woods worked closely with several departments and units at UNCG to bring a number of scholars to campus for informative lectures related to the African American experience and the arts, especially during Black History Month and CACE conferences. Course offerings and student enrollment continued to increase. These efforts did not go unnoticed by the university during their review of the African American Studies Program.[12]
University Review
In 1999, the university conducted a review of the African American Studies Program. The review board reported it was “impressed by the institutional commitment and assiduous leadership of both faculty and staff.”[citation needed] Dr. Woods was also recognized for his efforts to grow of the program.
The university reported significant enthusiasm and support from students that garnered the attention of the university. Students hoped to major in the African American Studies Program, which already had impressive enrollment and mirrored other similarly situated interdisciplinary programs. The annual CACE conference, now in its tenth year, “[took] the lead in exploring issues of diversity which embrace all students as it provides opportunities to discuss and analyze race, class, culture, and ethnicity.”[citation needed]
Due to the growth of the program and strong student enrollment, the program and the university shared a goal to implement a bachelor's degree in African American Studies.[13]
2000s to 2010s
In 2002, the African American Studies program began offering a bachelor's degree. Dr. Frank Woods and longtime lecturer, Michael Cauthen, were instrumental in developing the degree program. After fourteen years, Dr. Woods stepped down as Chair/Director of the program in 2008.
In 2008, the African American Studies program hired its first tenured faculty and Director, Dr. Tara T. Green (2008–2016). AFS was approved for a graduate post-baccalaureate certificate in African American Studies. In 2009, Dr. Green was instrumental in helping the university sign a study abroad agreement for AADS students with the University of Botswana and extended an agreement to the University of Ghana. Two AADS majors studied abroad in Botswana in Spring 2009.[14]
In 2012-13, UNCG’s African American Studies program garnered national recognition as one of the top 10 Black Studies programs in the country according to Academic Analytics.[citation needed] As the program celebrated its 30th anniversary, AFS graduated its largest class to date. Nearly 20 students earned more than $250,000 in grants and scholarships to continue their studies at universities such as Duke, Vanderbilt, Rutgers, and UC Berkeley. The same year, the Program established its first scholarship.[citation needed] This scholarship was made possible by the generosity of UNCG alumna Whitney “Whitty” Ransome, who served for almost two decades as co-executive director of the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and co-founded the coalition in 1991.
In 2014, the Program amended the name to the “African American and African Diaspora Studies Program” (AADS). The extended name allows the program to retain its identity while being more inclusive of the study of people and cultures of the African diaspora who do not identify as American. AADS reportedly reflects the diverse course offerings in comparative African history and literature.[15]
Program director Dr. Green implemented a number of forums, discussions, and lecture series that featured notable scholars related in the field of African American, African, and Latin American Studies, including author and poet Brenda Marie Osbey and Dr. E Patrick Johnson,[citation needed] as well as a host of students, faculty, and community members dedicated to social justice, education, and equality.