Spirit of renewal in Africana Studies
The Africana Studies Program in the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts has a new name, a new home and a renewed focus both on internationalism and black experience in the United States. Academic leaders are hopeful that the new name will increase the program’s visibility and educate more members of the Tulane community about the program’s important work.
“I view the name change as a jumping-off point,” says Laura Rosanne Adderley, associate professor of history and director of the Africana Studies Program.
The program changed its name in January from African & African Diaspora Studies to Africana Studies, a name that is more meaningful and aligned with similar undergraduate programs nationwide.
“[We] will encourage students to think about Africana Studies as part of their global education.”
Laura Roseanne Adderley, director, Africana Studies Program
The program’s offices moved from Norman Mayer to the third floor of Hebert Hall in September 2015. The new space offers strategic connections for the program’s international interests, especially in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.
The School of Liberal Arts is dedicated to providing resources that will help the Africana Studies Program reach its potential. According to Carole Haber, dean of the school, “Africana Studies provides students throughout Tulane with a unique interdisciplinary perspective incorporating history, literature, anthropology, psychology, political science and a wealth of foreign languages.”
The Africana Studies Program co-sponsors programming that focuses broadly on African-Americans, the African continent and the African diaspora. Last fall, for example, the program helped sponsor a three-part lecture series on Afro-Brazilian culture connected with Christopher Dunn’s Duren Professorship class. Dunn is an associate professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and holds a joint position in Africana Studies.
Adderley is currently working to curate an exhibition featuring 50 years of African-American presence at Tulane. The exhibition will include oral histories of African-American alumni from Tulane.
Mary Sparacello is a communications specialist in the Office of Development Communications.
