Alumnus Reflects on Legacy as a Student Activist and a Black Student Alliance Founder

In the midst of student protests over racism nationwide and on campus, Barry D. Amis helped found the Black Student Alliance at Michigan State University in 1967 and served as its first president. He has notebooks filled with news clippings and photos from his years as a student activist. “What we did at the time at MSU was groundbreaking,” said…

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Student Driven by Passion for Black History, Aspires to Help Community

Morgan Braswell said she is not the first in her family to attend college. But she is the first to stay the course. A sophomore, Braswell expects to graduate from Michigan State University in 2024 with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She’s also on track to complete a second major in African American and African Studies. It’s a scholarly path that…

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Multi-Institutional Diaspora Solidarities Lab Launches with $2 Million Mellon Grant

A $2 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has helped launch the Diaspora Solidarities Lab (DSL), a Black feminist digital humanities initiative that supports solidarity work in Black and Ethnic Studies with a commitment to transformative justice.  The DSL will help build knowledge communities through technology and serve as a co-creating space. It is a hub for Black feminist modes…

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Student Aspires to Preserve Literature and Activist Thought That Shaped Her Life

Growing up, Camille Jackson set a goal to pursue higher education. Now that she’s close to receiving her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, she’s expanded her goals to attend graduate school and to preserve the cultural works that shaped her trajectory as a first-generation college student. When she graduates from MSU this May, Jackson will conclude one leg of…

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Open Letter Regarding Congregation Beth Israel Hostage Standoff

Dear College of Arts & Letters and Honors College Community, This weekend’s hostage standoff at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, was frightening and traumatic to members of our community. Each instance of violence that appears to target a specific community can send shockwaves that are felt by many — particularly those who identify with the victims closest to the…

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Exploring Cultural Identity Through AAAS Department Courses

Deon Bennett came to Michigan State University intent on becoming more independent and open to new opportunities. He achieved that and more through academic and leadership activities that have inspired him to learn more about his culture and leave a legacy for others facing similar challenges as young Black men. Bennett started his scholarly exploration of the Black experience by…

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NCTE Student Organization Wins Sixth Straight National Excellence Award

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) student organization at MSU has earned the NCTE Student Affiliate Excellence Award for the sixth year in a row. This MSU group, which is affiliated with the Department of English and the Department of Teacher Education, is one of two NCTE student organizations from across the country to receive the award this…

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Doctoral Graduate Raises the Bar for African Language Instruction

Although specific to African languages, Magdalyne “Maggie” Oguti Akiding’s approach to second language instruction could be adapted to teach most any foreign language and is raising the bar for African language instruction in the United States with a fast-paced, communicatively oriented method that draws from culture, current events, and history. A native of Kenya, Akiding graduates this month with a…

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AAAS Department to Offer Several New Classes in Spring 2022

The Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) is offering several new or revised undergraduate courses during the Spring 2022 semester that each, in their own way, highlight and emphasize the department’s focus on Black Feminisms, Black Genders Studies, and Black Sexualities Studies. “Excellence in undergraduate education requires an ethic of care for students’ ideas and a demonstrated actionable…

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