Africana Studies Major, Is it necessary? Why now?

[Angelicat]

I was watching Obama's Pennslyvania speech last night on race and anger in America. As a Halfrican-American myself, I know all too well the complexity and mutual misunderstandings that exist and plague this nation. America's racist legacy is often ignored rather than transcended as many would like to believe. As usual, his speech embued me with hope and reminded me why three weeks ago today, I began the campaign for Africana Studies as a major.

Firstly, what is this thing called Africana? To me, it's my dark-skinned Spanish speaking Dominican friend, and it's a former student whose parents were straight from Ghana but all she every knew was American boarding schools, and it's the white South African student, and it's me. In a way, it's all of us who so chose to embrace and connect with African roots, however distant in the past or circumstantial that connection is. Africana is just vague enough to remove the common boxes and divisions propped up by the social construct of race; and yet, Africana does not dilute or ignore the fact there is a specific people, history, and cultures whose relevance is systematically ignored. There is a Diaspora pulsating in the veins of people, thumping in music, skewing the views of some, and biasing the reception of others.

Secondly, why is it necessary to be a major of study? Because of the anger and misunderstanding Obama spoke of so eloquently in his speech. It is as if there has been the progression of European diaspora and the systemic silencing of the African. Why has Middlebury had an African-American Studies minor for ten years that has yet to expand? Why is the African Studies "department" constituted by three professors? Why is there one course taught on the Caribbean every three years? The real question is why not have an Africana Studies major. College is the time to challenge the assumptions and silences and injustices of society. As a senior, I felt I have missed the opportunity to discuss the Diaspora and its complexities and contradictons. No professor here has ever asked me the hard question of what I think it means to be "Black".

Thirdly, why now? 300 colleges and universities across the country have Black or Africana Studies programs. What is this almost-Ivy waiting for? All I have heard is that their waiting for student demand, more student interest. So, tell them we are interested in change. Tell the trustees and the administration that we are interested in more than just a few more courses and promises to strive toward "diversity". We want a commitment to investing in sustainable scholarly focus on Africa and the African Diaspora.

We are currently conducting an email writing campaign to the Office of the President demanding that Africana Studies be added as an amendment to the College's Strategic Plan. You can write a post here reacting to my statements and you can write a letter yourself (cc me!).

Warmly,
Angelicat

[alevihnc]

Angelica, thank you for your insight, I strongly believe in so much of what you posted.