Committed to bringing academic research to the broadest possible audience, the Department of African American Studies at UW–Madison believes the deepest understanding of the complex reality of race in America requires a truly interdisciplinary approach. Within and beyond the walls of the university, our studies draw on history, literature, the social sciences, and the arts.

Approved by the Board of Regents in 1970, the Department of African American Studies (formerly Afro-American Studies) is an outgrowth of the student concern for relevance in higher education which was so dramatically evidenced on many college campuses during the late 1960s. Today, the department offers a wide variety of courses leading to both undergraduate and graduate degrees and is one of the most successful programs in the country.

News and Events

  • Jessica Lee Stovall published in the “English Journal”

    “Black teachers are expected to improve the racial literacy of their colleagues and school culture while simultaneously experiencing burnout from racial battle fatigue.” Jessica Lee Stovall, a current fellow in the Department of African American …

  • Reverend Alex Gee will receive honorary degree

    Reverend Dr. Alex Gee, a UW-Madison alumnus and lifelong community advocate for change, will be conferred the honorary doctorate of humane letters at the spring 2024 commencement ceremony. Reverend Dr. Gee will be recognized for …

  • Forthcoming Book Talk with Dr. Linda Perkins: April 11th

    Dr. Linda Perkins will be giving a Book Talk on Thursday, April 11th at 2:30 in the Pyle Center, Room 310. Perkins will be discussing her latest book, To Advance the Race: Black Women’s Higher …

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