African and African American Studies at George Mason University

What gets remembered and what gets erased?

Histories of the Civil War often center battles, politics, and emancipation, but too often overlook the lived experiences of Black women and children. This talk confronts that gap, exploring the uneven, fragile, and ongoing reality of freedom and its impact on those pushed to the margins of the narrative.

Join us for an important conversation that reclaims these histories and deepens our understanding of the war’s true legacy.

Wednesday, April 15
Lecture: 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM
Fenwick Library, Main Reading Room (2001)
George Mason University

Come through, bring a friend, and be part of the dialogue.

Please join AAAS and student group 'Uniflo,' to connect the dots about how protest music or street performance art forms can bring together campus residents and friends. Drop in to join a circle of comraderie through music, and poetry brainstorming.

Honoring the legacy, resilience, and intellectual contributions of Black women past and present. Throughout history, Black women have challenged injustice, transformed culture, and expanded the possibilities of freedom and knowledge.

This Women’s History Month, we celebrate their stories, their scholarship, and their power.

✨ Happy Black History Month ✨

Come celebrate Black history, culture, creativity, and liberation with AAAS all month long 🖤✊🏾

Pull up to these upcoming events:

📅 Feb 6
Black History Month Kickoff Reception
🕠 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Merten Hall (1201)

📅 Feb 10
Black Lives Next Door Symposium
🕥 10:30 AM–12:00 PM
📍 Fenwick Library (Reading Room)

AND

🎨🎶 Global Black Rhythms: Paint & Sip Night
🕕 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Robeson Room (JC 240A)
Afrobeats • Amapiano • Dancehall • Afro-Latin vibes

📅 Feb 17
Q***ring Black History Month: Black Q***r Liberation House Ball Challenge
🕖 7:00–9:30 PM
📍 Merten Hall (1201)

Celebrate. Learn. Dance. Create.

See you there 🖤✨

This course examines twenty-first century contemporary art through the 61st Venice Biennale with an emphasis on art of the African diaspora and the Global South. For the first time this historic Biennale will be curated by a Black African female scholar.

Join us for a vibrant celebration of Black History Month and 35 years of the African and African American Studies program at the Kickoff Reception on Friday, February 6th from 5:30 to 7:30pm in Merten Hall. This dynamic evening will honor Black heritage, scholarship, and community through powerful visuals, cultural pride, and collective reflection. All are welcome!

Welcome back! We’re excited for a new semester and all that’s ahead. Make sure to stay posted on our upcoming events, and come study with us in the Robeson Room (JC 240A)!

Looking for a last-minute add that helps you understand today’s climate?

From protests and voting rights to state violence and resistance movements, today’s headlines have deep roots. This course connects historic Black activism to the political moment we’re living in right now.

Still looking for a Spring ’26 course that gives you direction for your future? We got you. ☝🏽☺️ Build career skills, explore pathways, and leave with a plan.

This course introduces students to the wide range of professional pathways connected to African and African American Studies. Through hands-on activities, reflective assignments, and conversations with practitioners in the field, students will strengthen their career readiness skills while exploring how Black studies knowledge applies to real-world contexts. Emphasis is placed on connecting academic interests to meaningful work, understanding equity-centered professional practices, and developing tools such as resumes, cover letters, and networking strategies. Students will leave the course with a clearer sense of direction, confidence in their abilities, and a concrete plan for pursuing careers that align with their passions, values, and the communities they care about.