Department of Africana Studies at Rutgers-Newark

Department of Africana Studies at Rutgers-Newark Follow us on Twitter: RUNafam All of the courses are designed to integrate scholarship on gender, race, and class.

The Department of Africana Studies at Rutgers University-Newark offers students an opportunity to study the cultures of the African diaspora, from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Our course offerings focus particularly on the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean, and we hope to include courses on Afro-Hispanic culture in future. Our faculty are trained in diverse fields – anthropology,

film studies, literature, history, political science, to name a few -- and our courses are often interdisciplinary in nature. The Africana Studies major/minor is geared towards both the scholarly and the working world. We aim to produce graduates who are ready for advanced graduate study in the humanities or social sciences; we also aim to produce professionals who can work in a variety of fields that require an understanding of the history and cultures of African and African-descended peoples. Our major can be used in a broad array of fields, such as marketing; journalism; education; and the arts. In future we hope to establish internships for our majors, where they can apply their scholarly knowledge to a particular career.

Warm welcome to the Rutgers-Newark incoming class! We are thrilled to have you join our Rutgers-Newark community and loo...
08/31/2026

Warm welcome to the Rutgers-Newark incoming class! We are thrilled to have you join our Rutgers-Newark community and look forward to celebrating this afternoon at Convocation 2026.

Of course we can’t wait to see our returning students back in Conklin Hall!

Let’s make it a great year ❤️🖤

Congratulations to Prof. James Jones (James Jones) on receiving The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Book Award from the Association...
08/07/2026

Congratulations to Prof. James Jones (James Jones) on receiving The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Book Award from the Association of Black Sociologists (ABSociologists) for “The Last Plantation: Racism and Resistance in the Halls of Congress”!

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Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a fierce anti-lynching crusader and a progenitor of critical sociological theory and methods. Her quantitative and qualitative work enumerating instances and motivations for lynching in late 19th and early 20th century America laid the groundwork for sociological theories of race, class, and gender, as well as mixed methods investigations. The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Book Award is given annually to the best, published book in the previous two years.

Want to participate in the study away program in Barbados led by our award-winning Prof. Hyacinth Miller next spring? Re...
07/10/2026

Want to participate in the study away program in Barbados led by our award-winning Prof. Hyacinth Miller next spring?

Register for the virtual information session on July 22 at 2:30pm to learn more about this special week-long interactive learning experience that offers insight into the ways that a Caribbean small island developing state serves as a microcosm of contemporary global challenges and opportunities.
https://rutgers.zoom.us/meeting/register/gZ6HllrxQGyhqOu-2kltuw #/registration

🌏

The Caribbean and the 21st Century is a one-credit interdisciplinary immersion program that will provide opportunities to both explore and interrogate the comparative complexities of Black people’s history, culture, and experiences across the African Diaspora with a focus on the Caribbean. During the week, students will visit various sites and be engaged in conversations with local scholars and experts, community members and peers. These sites include: the Newton Burial Ground and Rock Hall Freedom Village, and the PEG Farm and Nature Reserve at Easy Hall Plantation; a visit to the rum distillery and parliament, and conclude with participation in local cultural events.

Heartiest congratulations to our own Dr. Charles M. Payne on being named Board of Governors Professor of Africana Studie...
06/26/2026

Heartiest congratulations to our own Dr. Charles M. Payne on being named Board of Governors Professor of Africana Studies!

Prof. Payne is a pioneer, nationally recognized for his expertise in the study of the civil rights movement and urban education.

His work has helped shape national conversations on urban education and school reform, social inequality, and social change and modern African American history.

Payne is the director of the Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies at Rutgers–Newark, where he is also the project coordinator for the National Freedom School Project. He also founded Education for Liberation Network, whose work has begun to affect policy at state and local levels.

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/news-board-governors-june-2026

Congratulations to Prof. Hyacinth Miller on being selected for a RDL Democracy Summer Research Fellowship in support of ...
06/09/2026

Congratulations to Prof. Hyacinth Miller on being selected for a RDL Democracy Summer Research Fellowship in support of her dissertation research project on “The Garden State’s Black Politics: Black Women in New Jersey’s Elected Offices”!

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Hyacinth Miller is a PhD candidate in the Global Urban Studies Joint PhD Program in Urban Systems at Rutgers–Newark. Miller’s research centers on Black women’s political leadership, Caribbean people in the Diaspora, and Black immigrant political incorporation. Her dissertation, The Garden State’s Black Politics, examines the political engagement of Black women in elected office in New Jersey, focusing on campaign emergence and campaign strategy. This scholarship will add to a broader research agenda that critically explores the intersections of civic engagement, political representation, and policy responses to underrepresented communities. Prior to joining the program, Miller built a career in public policy and advocacy through work in government affairs, immigration, criminal justice reform, nonprofit leadership, and institutional development.

The Garden State’s Black Politics: Black Women in New Jersey’s Elected Offices project seeks to answer the question of what Black women elected officials believe is the pathway to elected office in New Jersey and will survey Black women elected officials across the State to document their diverse experiences. The project aligns with RDL’s Democratic Engagement research by exploring how civic participation inspires citizen involvement. Gender scholars find that women are more likely to run for office when they see other women serving. Understanding how Black women navigate New Jersey’s political landscape offers valuable insight that may inspire others to become future candidates.

Reshare •The JCFPL Curious Pint is back, and this one is going to be unforgettable.✨ We are beyond proud to partner with...
05/26/2026

Reshare •The JCFPL Curious Pint is back, and this one is going to be unforgettable.✨ We are beyond proud to partner with LSC After Dark at Liberty Science Center for an extraordinary evening under the stars! 🌌 

Join us for a night out at one of Jersey City’s crown jewels, a world-class museum with the largest planetarium in the country. The perspective will genuinely take your breath away.🪐 

This June, step into an evening of literature, music, and magic with the incredible Dr. Melanie R. Hill, scholar, author, and violinist. Dr. Hill will be signing copies of her new book “Colored Women Sittin’ on High: Womanist Sermonic Practice in Literature and Music,” delivering a powerful book talk, and performing live on violin. From Zora Neale Hurston to Aretha Franklin, from Toni Morrison to Ms. Lauryn Hill, this is a celebration of Black women as the virtuosic alchemists of our time. ✍️ 📖 🎻  

And of course, it’s The Curious Pint, so drinks & refreshments will be available for sale all night. 🍹 

🔞 This is a 21+ event, please have your ID ready! 
🚌 The JCFPL Bookmobile will also make an appearance, come check it out! 
🎟️ JCFPL Library Card holders that attend will unlock discounts to come back to future LSC After Dark events. 
💛 Every ticket purchased supports both JCFPL & Liberty Science Center and their missions. This is more than a night out. It’s community, culture, and curiosity all in one place. Don’t miss it.

🌟 🔗 Grab your tickets now, link in bio !

Today’s spotlight is on our Merit Award recipient, Chiamaka Nwanoro, an Africana Studies major with a concentration in P...
05/15/2026

Today’s spotlight is on our Merit Award recipient, Chiamaka Nwanoro, an Africana Studies major with a concentration in Pre-health, whose seminar paper explored how governance mechanisms and community engagement practices moderate the impact of corruption and infrastructure constraints on service delivery outcomes in Nigeria's public primary-healthcare sector.

Chiamaka’s advice to future Africana students: "Your dreams are valid. Never be afraid of failure, because it is through our greatest challenges that we grow the strongest. And above all, find a good community — people who believe in you, support you, and inspire you to keep rising."

Congratulations, Chiamaka! We are all so proud of your achievements.

Our second Wendell A. Jean-Pierre Award recipient is Kai Imani Joy McCall, a recent winter graduate of Rutgers Universit...
05/14/2026

Our second Wendell A. Jean-Pierre Award recipient is Kai Imani Joy McCall, a recent winter graduate of Rutgers University–Newark, where they earned a dual degree in Social Work and Africana Studies with a minor in Social Justice and were an Honors Living-Learning Community Scholar. Kai's favorite classes were Afrofuturism with Professor Lacey Hunter and Introduction to Caribbean Studies with Professor Hyacinth Miller.

Kai’s advice to future Africana students: "Take your time and really engage with the material. Africana Studies is not just about learning history; it is about understanding how that history lives in the present. Ask questions, challenge what you’re learning, and connect it to your own experiences. Also, build relationships with your professors and classmates because those conversations will shape your perspective just as much as the readings... [A]lways remember that history is often written by the victor. One of my favorite quotes, and something I think everyone should carry with them, is: 'Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.' It is important that we continue to question the system and tell the stories of those who have often gone unheard, recognizing that our role is not always to speak for others, but to learn from them and help honor and uplift the power within their stories with care and intention."

Congratulations, Kai! We are all so proud of your achievements.

Today’s spotlight is on our Wendell A. Jean-Pierre Award recipients, James Macon Evans III and Kai Imani Joy McCall.Up f...
05/14/2026

Today’s spotlight is on our Wendell A. Jean-Pierre Award recipients, James Macon Evans III and Kai Imani Joy McCall.

Up first is James Macon Evans III, a 72-year-old undergraduate student majoring in Africana Studies and minoring in History, who attributes his knowledge of African American History to his family and the Black community of Montclair, where he was raised. His favorite Africana Studies classes were Reading James Baldwin with Professor John Keene, African-American Community with Professor Wendell Holbrook, and History of Hip Hop with Professor Lacey Hunter.

James offers the following advice to incoming Africana students: “Buckle down and grasp as much as you can. Be prepared to fight for your education in Africana Studies because there are forces trying to erase it."

Congratulations again, James! We are so proud of all of your achievements.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and a special shout out to our Africana Studies students James Macon Evans III and ...
05/14/2026

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and a special shout out to our Africana Studies students James Macon Evans III and Kai Imani Joy McCall on receiving the Wendell Jean-Pierre Award and Chiamaka P. Nwanoro on receiving the Merit Award!

We hope to see all our Africana Studies graduates at the Class of 2026 celebration parade this afternoon! ❤️🖤 Stay tuned for more about our award recipients.

Address

323 Conklin Hall, 175 University Avenue
Newark, NJ
07102

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19733535528

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