UC San Diego African American Studies

The winter quarter during which the Compton Cookout took place is known by students and faculty at UCSD as Black Winter. Racially motivated events that occurred during this time, in addition to the cookout, included a K*K hood being found on a statue of Dr. Seuss and the discovery of a noose in the main library. In response to these events, the Black Student Union (BSU) at UCSD organized a series of marches, protests, and rallies in coordination with other groups like M.E.Ch.A. [Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán; “Chicano Student Movement of Aztlán”]

As a result, the BSU made a list of 32 demands related to having a more racially inclusive campus which included a center for African-American students, a task-force to hire more African American faculty, and multiple efforts to increase enrollment of African American students, an African American Studies Minor, a Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and requirement for all students to take a class related to DEI.

🌟BDAAS Students in Action!🌟

Huge shoutout to our African American Studies minor, Christina Marie Green, for hosting an empowering event on the history & significance of Black labor leaders!✊🏿 As an AFSCME 3299 Student Organizing Intern, Christina shared insights from her research & hands on experience with the union.

She was joined by Iidah Golly, a Black Diaspora and African American Studies major and McNair Scholar, who is currently researching historical labor unionizing in Oaxaca & its relations to activism done by AFSCME 3299.📚🌍

We are beyond proud of their impactful work and the lasting change they’re creating!

🌟 BDAAS Students in Action! 🌟
Huge shoutout to our African American Studies minor, Christina Marie Green, for hosting an empowering event on the history & significance of Black-led labor unions! ✊🏾 As an AFSCME 3299 Student Organizing Intern, Christina shared insights from her research & hands-on experience with the union.

She was joined by Iidah Golly, a Black Diaspora & African American Studies major and McNair Scholar, who is researching historical labor unionizing in Oaxaca & its relations to activism done by AFSCME 3299. 📚🌍

We are beyond proud of their impactful work and the lasting change they’re creating!

Join us for an inspiring journey into the art of Black feminist playwriting. This salon brings together visionary scholar-artists to explore how Black feminist theory shapes and ignites the creative process. Learn, create, and connect in a space where storytelling becomes a revolutionary act.

Date/Times: February 12th and 24th, 2025 from 11 am - 12:20 pm

Location: Galbraith Hall 247
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To find more BHM events at UCSD visit: https://blackhistorymonth.ucsd.edu/2025/

Join us in celebrating Black History Month with a special talk with undergraduate scholar Christina Marie Green. Discover the history and significance of labor unions through her insightful projects and work experience. Learn about how to make an impact on social change and labor justice. As a bonus, attendees can participate in a D.I.Y. activity to create custom labor movement slogan buttons.

Free drinks and food are available for attendees!
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 11th, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Location: Geisel Library, Seuss Room

More Information: https://library.ucsd.edu/news-events/events/black-afrikan-labor-history-and-union-leadership/

The Spring 2025 Schedule of Classes is live! 📚

Explore our course offerings and find the perfect classes for next quarter.

Swipe to check out exciting courses from our affiliate faculty—many are pre-approved or can be petitioned for our major or minor!

Have questions? Send us a message via the VAC!

Happy Black History Month!✊🏿 This year, we are recognizing “Black Contributions to Labor: Honoring Our Legacy, Inspiring the Future.”

Swipe to see events hosted by some of our campus partners!

Hope to see y’all there—register for events at blackhistorymonth.ucsd.edu.

One of the most prestigious scholarships on campus is now accepting applications, the Ujima Black History Scholarship. UCSD students can apply for this scholarship by submitting a research paper, creative work or project that centers the Black experience, life, culture or history. In addition, they will need a letter of recommendation from a faculty member.

Please consider applying for the scholarship! Winners will be recognized at the Black History Month Scholarship Brunch on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

Link to application: https://ucsd.academicworks.com/opportunities/5229

Interested in taking a Black Diaspora and African American Studies course? Here’s our 2025 Winter quarter course offerings!

Students can enroll via WebReg during their first or second enrollment pass!🤓

Happy Week 4 EVERYBODY! Check out our 2024-25 Intern highlight welcoming Christina Marie Green to our BDAAS staff!🙌🏾❤️

Keep an eye out on our next posts! We'll be highlighting course deadlines and upcoming events. Repost and share BDAAS fam!☺️

The Black Diaspora and African American Studies Program is currently seeking a Graduate Teaching Assistant (TA) for our AAS 11: Introduction to Black Diaspora Studies courses offered in the 2025 winter quarter.

To apply for this position, you need to complete the online application, attach a cover letter, and CV describing your background in African American Studies, Literature, or Ethnic Studies. Plus, you need to describe your experience working with students and instructors.

Link: https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/Modules/ASES/Apply.aspx?cid=5828

Happy Week 1 LOVES! Check out the events happening this week to next week - AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The BRC is officially OPEN with cereal options and milk! Swing by to meet the community🙌🏾

The Black Student Union (BSU) is still accepting board applications until October 6th at 11:59 PM! Apply now to leadership in the Black community❤️

Introducing “Steps Through History: Black Legacies on Campus”—BDAAS program’s new series celebrating Black history at UC San Diego and the lasting influence it has on our campus today. Join us as we take a journey through time, exploring rich cultural milestones from the past alongside significant updates from the present.

Our first feature is dedicated to Thurgood Marshall College. With the recent developments on campus, it’s important to remember the origins of this iconic institution. Founded in 1970 as “Third College,” it wasn’t until 1993, following the passing of Justice Thurgood Marshall, that the college was renamed to honor the trailblazing Supreme Court Justice.

Slides 1 & 2 showcase key moments from the 1993 dedication of Thurgood Marshall College, including the unveiling of a statue of Justice Marshall by UCSD alumna Manuelita Brown (Class of ‘76). This sculpture still stands on campus today (Slide 3)!

Fun fact: Manuelita Brown is also the artist behind the King Triton and Sojourner Truth statues on campus.

Slide 4: Portrait of Justice Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)
Slide 5: Portrait of Manuelita Brown
 
Source(s): https://provost.ucsd.edu/marshall/40th/history/short-history.html

WELCOME BACK POOKIES! I hope ya’ll had a restful summer and are ready to get back on that grind! Before that, check out the resources available to YOU over the quarter and academic year.

Advising Hours for African American Studies
CommUNITY Cookout September 25th at 4pm
Apply for the Peer Guidance Program

Follow us to stay updated!

WELCOME BACK POOKIES! I hope ya'll had a restful summer and are ready to get back on that grind! Before that, check out the resources available to YOU over the quarter and academic year.

Advising Hours for African American Studies
CommUNITY Cookout September 25th at 4pm
Apply for the Peer Guidance Program

Follow us to stay updated!

This summer UCSD had the pleasure of hosting the UMOJA Student Leadership Summit, where roughly 150 California Community College students and 50 Umoja practitioners had the opportunity to explore the beauty our campus. Our friends at the Admissions office invited our program director —Dr.Dennis Childs, to present the keynote speech.

We thank everyone involved in the planning process for giving us the space to highlight our BDAAS program! Good luck to all the students we met. Hopefully we will see some of you back at UCSD in the near future!

The Black Diaspora and African American Studies (BDAAS) program and Students Against Mass Incarceration (SAMI) are pleased to invite you to an exciting event on May 16th, from 12 – 2 pm (The Forum, Price Center East, 4th floor), Resisting Prison Industrial Warfare: An afternoon with Jalil Muntaqim and Stephanie Jeffcoat. This event will showcase a dialogue between Jalil Muntaqim, renowned leader and thinker in the modern prison abolition movement and a co-founder of the Jericho Movement—an organization dedicated to the release of all US-held political prisoners and prisoners of war. He is a former member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army, spent nearly 50 years behind bars before being paroled in 2020. Also joining us will be Stephanie Jeffcoat, a formerly incarcerated activist known for her advocacy work in criminal justice and child welfare reform across California and for working with groups such as All of Us or None. She is also the founder of FIR4E—a nonprofit supporting previously incarcerated women.

Both activists have worked tirelessly since their incarceration to fight against the prison industrial complex and for the liberation of Black people and all oppressed peoples.

The event will be moderated by prison/slavery studies scholar, Dr. Dennis Childs, Director of BDAAS.

You don’t want to miss this monumental event! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/887900934597?aff=oddtdtcreator

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