News

Black American Studies
January 23, 2023

Spring Lobby Weekend Training

In March, the LCRC is planning to travel to Washington D.C. to attend a Spring Lobby Training event that is being hosted by FCNL. Students who are interested should contact Dr. Daryl Carter. You can see more information about the training here.

Black American Studies
January 23, 2023

Usable Past Safe Travels: Inclusive Tourism in Appalachia

Black American Studies
January 23, 2023

The Dream Continues: The History of the Civil Rights Movement

An Oral History Play Written by Bobby Funk and Directed by Dan Parker

The Dream Continues: The History of the Civil Rights Movement, was created for the opening of the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama in 1992. It was first performed as a one act reader’s theatre piece by students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The play toured to schools around the Birmingham area throughout that school year. 

The play tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement through the words and songs of those who lived it. The stories are all oral histories. Most of these characters are the people who were in the trenches so to speak. Dr. King is heard from, along with other famous activists, but many of these people have never really had their stories told. That is the purpose of the play, to remember these heroes.

In 2018 the play was updated and expanded to a full-length play thanks in part to a Research Development Committee, Small Grant Award from East Tennessee State University that allowed necessary research to happen in Washington, DC. Much thanks to the Library of Congress and The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture as well as the ETSU Department of Theatre and Dance, the ETSU School of Arts and Sciences and Dr. Daryl Carter.

The production will be presented as a partnership between the ETSU Department of Theatre and Dance, The School of Arts and Sciences Office of Equity & Inclusion and Black American Studies. 

It is a Two Act Reader's Theatre. This play will be on Monday, February 6 at 7 PM in the Bud Frank Theatre. There will be one 10-minute intermission.

Black American Studies
January 9, 2023

Black History Month Events Presented by the Langston Centre

Black American Studies
January 9, 2023

Theater Delta Workshop

Black American Studies
December 8, 2022

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Community Events

Black American Studies
December 1, 2022

Du Bois Society Cancelled 12/1/2022

The Du Bois Society will reconvene in January after spring classes begin.

Black American Studies
November 17, 2022

Theater & Dance Auditions for Spring 2023 Plays

Black American Studies
November 16, 2022

HIST 4287 James Baldwin

During the civil rights movement in the early to mid-1960s, James Baldwin was the most visible and influential writer in America. His works remain on the lists of canonical literature. Over the past few years, his writing has experienced a renaissance, and he has been introduced to a new generation of students. This course will demonstrate how the quality of Baldwin’s writing and his exemplary character matter now as much as ever. We will revisit his literary fiction and creative nonfiction publications and uncover the sources of his style to understand the importance of his long career, which ran from the late 1940s until his death in 1987. For further information about the course, please contact Dr. Elwood Watson 439-8575,  watsone@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
November 14, 2022

DuBois Society Meeting 11/14/2022

The DuBois Society will meet Thursday, November 17 at 6:30 PM in Rogers-Stout 101. The topic for this meeting is “Progress.” Please RSVP with Dr. Carter if you plan on attending.

Black American Studies
November 10, 2022

Black Faculty and Staff Association Friendsgiving Movie Night

Black American Studies
November 8, 2022

Scholarships at ETSU

Black American Studies
November 4, 2022

Women in Astronomy Course 2023

Black American Studies
November 2, 2022

Hip-Hop History Month Celebrations

Black American Studies
October 31, 2022

Black American Studies
October 24, 2022

Auditions for The Dream Continues

Daniel Parker is directing this Reader's Theatre production  (written by ETSU Theatre and Dance faculty member Bobby Funk), for his Honor's Thesis Project. Auditions are being held October 27 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm and October 29 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in Campus Center Building Studio 205. The director is looking for 3 Black men, 2 White men, 3 Black women, 1 White woman, and a Chorus. For more information, email parkerd1@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
October 24, 2022

Nikki Giovanni Interview and Poetry Reading

You can now view Nikki Giovanni's interview and poetry reading at ETSU. Please follow the links below.

Interview

Poetry Reading

Black American Studies
October 17, 2022

DuBois Society Meeting 10/20/2022

The DuBois Society will meet Thursday, October 20 at 6:30 PM in Rogers-Stout 101. The topic for this meeting is “Moving Forward—How to make progress in a time of strife and contention.” Please RSVP with Dr. Carter if you plan on attending.

Black American Studies
October 14, 2022

Dr. James E. K. Hildreth, President and CEO of Meharry Medical College Visits ETSU

Dr. James Hildreth delivered a lecture on "An Immunological Paradox Explained: HIV as Trojan Exosome" as part of the Black American Studies Lecture Series and Leading Voices in Public Health Lecture Series. Dr. Hildreth also visited with medical students earlier in the afternoon.

You can view the entire lecture below.

Black American Studies
October 3, 2022

Langston Centre seeks Program Coordinator

The City of Johnson City, Tennessee is accepting online applications for a Program Coordinator for Parks & Recreation at the Langston Centre. This is a grant funded position. The employee performs intermediate paraprofessional work responsible for all aspects of programming for recreation and afterschool programs. Will serve as the liaison between program partners and outside stakeholders.

You can see the full description and apply for the position here.

Black American Studies
September 23, 2022

Nikki Giovanni visits ETSU

Iconic Black Appalachian poet Nikki Giovanni visited ETSU on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. More than 250 people welcomed Giovanni to campus Tuesday night where she spoke about her life and read from her poetry collections. This is Giovanni's second visit to ETSU; the first was in 1974. 

Dr. Carter introduces Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni signs photos of her 1974 visit for Trustee Dorothy Grisham

Nikki Giovanni laughing with the audience

Black American Studies
September 12, 2022

DuBois Society Meeting

The DuBois Society will meet for the first time during the 2022-2023 academic year on Friday, September 16 at 1 pm in Rogers-Stout 101. Please RSVP to Dr. Carter if you are planning on attending this meeting.

Black American Studies
September 8, 2022

From the Director

Hello, everyone,

There are some reports circulating which strongly suggest that bad drugs are responsible for at least four deaths since last weekend. Please be aware of the potential harm which may come from using illicit drugs and/or prescription drugs recreationally. There are resources to help individuals with substance and/or alcohol dependency. Please be safe!

Dr. Carter

Black American Studies
September 8, 2022

WGSS on Wednesdays

WGSS on Wednesdays kicks off on September 14 with "Observations, Conversations, and Next Steps: LGBTQ+ Justice in the Court System," a presentation by Drs. Jamie Brown and Mary Langenbrunner. Drs. Brown and Langenbrunner will provide insight from their experience and research to describe the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals navigating the family court system. For more information, please contact wgss@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
September 1, 2022

Student Advisory Board

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) is looking for student volunteers to serve on a student advisory board. During the 2022 - 2023 academic year, we will be holding several focus groups to address common themes around effective teaching. 

If you are interested in sharing your opinions and discussing what effective teaching looks like at ETSU, please fill out the form linked below.  

The focus group will be limited to 12 participants to ensure a safe and productive environment for discussion.  If more than 12 applications are received, participants will be selected to ensure a diverse and representative group of ETSU students. 

The first session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28th.  For more information on what role the student board will play, meeting days/ time, and to sign – up…visit the link here and scroll down to “Join Our Student Advisory Board.”

Black American Studies
August 29, 2022

Nikki Giovanni: Black American Writers Series

The Black American Studies Program, Art & Design’s Slocumb Galleries, and Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative are proud to present internationally recognized poet Nikki Giovanni. Her works, such as Black Feeling, Black Talk / Black Judgement, Bicycles: Love Poems, and Those Who Ride the Night Winds, have made her one of America’s most important voices on the Black experience since the late 1960s. Giovanni will visit ETSU on Tuesday, September 20 at 6 pm in the Brown Hall Auditorium. A Q&A and book signing will follow the reading. This event is free and open to ETSU community and the general public. For more information, contact Professor Daryl Carter at carterda@etsu.edu. 

Black American Studies
August 29, 2022

Dr. James Hildreth: Black American Studies Lecture Series

James E.K. Hildreth, Ph.D., M.D. is the 12th president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College, the nation’s largest private, independent historically black academic health sciences center. A native of Camden, Arkansas, Dr. Hildreth began his undergraduate studies in 1975 at Harvard University and was selected as the first African-American Rhodes Scholar from Arkansas in 1978. He graduated from Harvard magna cum laude in chemistry in 1979. That fall, Dr. Hildreth enrolled at Oxford University in England, graduating with a Ph.D. in immunology in 1982. At Oxford he studied the biology of cytotoxic T cells with Professor Andrew McMichael and became an expert in mono-clonal antibody technology and cell adhesion molecules.

Dr. Hildreth is tentatively scheduled to speak on Thursday, October 13 in the Carnegie's Grand Soldiers Ballroom. 

Black American Studies
August 29, 2022

Dr. Regina Bradley to Visit ETSU for Hip-Hop History Month

From her website:

Dr. Regina N. Bradley is an award-winning writer and researcher of the Black American South. She is an alumna Nasir Jones HipHop Fellow (Hutchins Center, Harvard University, Spring 2016), Associate Professor of English and African Diaspora Studies at Kennesaw State University, faculty editor for Southern Cultures journal, and co-host of the critically acclaimed southern hip hop podcast Bottom of the Map with music journalist Christina Lee.

A prominent public voice and leading scholar on contemporary southern Black life and hip hop culture, Dr. Bradley's work has been featured on a range of media outlets including Netflix’s hip hop docuseries Hip-Hop Evolution, Washington Post, NPR, and Atlanta Journal Constitution. In May, 2017, Dr. Bradley delivered a TEDx talk, "The Mountaintop Ain't Flat," about the significance of hip hop in bridging the American Black South to the present and future.  

Dr. Bradley will visit ETSU on Thursday, November 10 at the Reece Museum for a presentation on Hip-Hop history Month.

Black American Studies
August 11, 2022

W.E.B. DuBois Society Meetings for Fall 2022 Announced

The W.E.B. DuBois Society meets once a month between September and April to discuss and examine critical issues impacting Black Americans. The meetings will take place in Rogers-Stout Hall room 101 for the Fall 2022 semester. You can find out more, and check the meeting dates on the DuBois Society website.

Black American Studies
August 9, 2022

JCPL to Hold Voter Education Class with Washington County Administrator of Elections

JOHNSON CITY – Johnson City Public Library (JCPL) will hold a voter education session with Washington County Administrator of Elections Dana Jones on Thursday, August 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Jones will show people how to find the information they need before going to the voting booth, including who is running, who has picked up petitions for offices, and which offices are elected.

JCPL Adult Services Manager Lisa Krekelberg said the library is hosting this event because people often ask library staff for voting and election information.

“People ask us all the time where they can find details about upcoming elections. It can be difficult to find this information, especially for local elections,” Krekelberg said.

As Administrator of Elections, Jones can also provide a behind-the-scenes perspective into Washington County’s local election process and early voting.

“It’s fascinating to learn how our elections work,” Krekelberg said. “Several years ago, I volunteered at a polling location, and that experience helped me understand how much work goes into an election. I'm excited to hear from Dana Jones about our election process.”

Call Adult Services at 423-434-4454 to learn more about the voter education session on Thursday, August 18. For general information about elections and voting, contact the Washington County Election Commission at 423-753-1688.

Black American Studies
August 1, 2022

Appalachian Places shared an ongoing oral history project highlighting the Elizabethton Blue Grays, an African-American semi-professional baseball team that was active from 1935-1955. You can read the full article here.

Black American Studies
July 13, 2022

The Black Gaze

ETSU Department of Art & Design and Slocumb Galleries present ‘The Black Gaze’ curated by Lynn Bachman and Lyn Govette at Tipton Gallery from July 7 to August 26, 2022 with a public reception on August 5, First Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., refreshments provided by Taste Budz and performance by Kingsport Ballet with guest of honor Johnson City Commissioner Hon. Aaron Murphy.

Featuring Johnson City’s African American artists, it is the curators’ honor and intention with the BLACK GAZE exhibit, to be part of the movement to course correct for the artists who have displayed their works and the community at large. The artists that are part of this exhibit are local, most self-taught, and some with formal training in academia or a mix of both. They vary in their ages, abilities, preferences, interests, lifestyles and many other ways, but the unique commonality between them is their desire to create and share their passion in their artistic abilities with the world.

This collection of works, The Black Gaze, is a moment in time celebrating local Black artists as recognition of the wonderful complexity that is this region of the Southern Highlands and Johnson City in particular. Each artist allows access into their individual way of expressing what it is the be Black and creative. The artists included in this exhibit are Jonathan Adams, Akintayo Akintobi, Lynn Bachman, Javan Collie, Pam Daniels, Pam Faw, Jason Flack, Doniqua Joyner, Dexter Greenlee, and Ian Taylor.

Accompanying events include Spoken Word by Langston Centre’s Brook’ale Anderson and Jasmine Henderson on July 14,Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.; and face painting demo/workshop by Lynn Bachman and Karen Sullivan on August 13, Saturday at 3 p.m., both at the Tipton Gallery. The unveiling of the East Tennessee Foundation’s Hope in Action grant-funded community mural ‘Sounds of Our Souls’ by Jason Flack and local youth will be unveiled on August 20, Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Johnson City Pool along Legion Street.

We wish to thank the contributing artists, and our partners ETSU Black American Studies, Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, Language & Culture Resource Center, Taste Budz, Kingsport Ballet, Karen LeBlanc Sullivan, Langston Centre, Tennessee Arts Commission, and Black in Appalachia for their support of the arts and this exhibit. The Tipton Gallery is located at 126 Spring Street, Downtown Johnson City with gallery hours on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. and by appointment. To schedule a visit, please email contrera@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
May 17, 2022

Governor's School Couselor Opportunities

The Center of Excellence in STEM Education is in need of two Residential Counselors for the 2022 Governor's School in the Integration of Biological and Statistical Sciences (a 5 week program here on campus from May 27 - July 1, 2022). The counselor can be 19 years of age and older.  

This Governor’s School has been operating since 2007 and is an excellent program for high school students who excel in their coursework.  They have thirty (30) rising juniors and seniors attending from the state of Tennessee.  The students and the counselors will be housed in Lucille Clement Hall for the 5-week program. The students range in age from 15 to 17 and are all MINORS. 

Counselors will have a private room in Lucille Clement Hall (room and board are included)
All meals are included
The salary will be $2,600.00 for the 5-week period
Counselors will be responsible for leading the students to class, the DP Culp Center for lunch and dinner, local restaurants (weekend lunch and dinner), and Kroger on occasion
Counselors will take students to the CPA when time allows
They will also attend the scheduled field trips with the students
Campus Arboretum Tour
Historic Jonesborough (Music on the Square)
Pisgah National Forest & Roan Mountain State Park
James H. Quillen College of Medicine Tour
Gray Fossil Site and Natural History Museum
Snap-On Tools
Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium
The Carter Family Memorial Music Center (Hilton’s, Virginia)
Aerojet/Rocketdyne Facility
Counselors will have from 9:00am – 11:30am free time (students will be in Probability and Statistics class in Gilbreath Hall room 305/306)
Counselors will have from 1:00pm – 3:30pm free time (students will be in Biology class and lab on Friday’s)
 

This is an excellent opportunity for someone to work with minors who are very smart, competent and eager to learn. Please contact Angela Haga for more information.

Black American Studies
May 11, 2022

Heritage Alliance Hiring for an AmeriCorps Curator/Arhcivist Position

The Heritage Alliance has an AmeriCorps position available for a Curator/Archivist. Please visit their website for more information.

Black American Studies
May 10, 2022

Black American Studies
May 9, 2022

Working, Class:  Appalachian Labor and Economy Seminar

The McKinney Center, Heritage Alliance, Langston Centre, and ETSU’s Black American Studies, would like to invite you to attend a free, online workshop on May 18, 10am, entitled, Working, Class:  Appalachian Labor and Economy.

You can find out more on our Facebook Event page.

You can register here.

Jonesborough/Johnson City, Tennessee, May 18, 10 am-11:30 am –
Over 100 million visitors come to Tennessee each year, and the State typically earns over 20 billion dollars in revenue from tourists. The Usable Past Series continues to explore the opportunities that exist in our own communities to meet the needs of our tourists, achieve the revenue and interpretive goals at our historic and cultural institutions, and create an environment where visitors feel safe and represented.

In historic Northeast Tennessee, heritage tourism is a large part of why people travel: they want to know their history. However, this is a field that has struggled to be inclusive and welcoming to visitors of all backgrounds. The Usable Past Series has engaged tourism industry leaders at all levels and from a variety of venues to discuss their best practices, their own challenges, and their successes in meeting their missions.

Speakers for this session focused on the labor history of Appalachia include Shara Scarborough, writer and oral historian, Emily Hudson, Executive Director of the Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum and Cultural Center, and Dr. Tom Lee, Associate Professor of History at East Tennessee State University. The panelists will also participate in a question-and-answer session after their presentations.

Presenters for this first session, Useable Past, Working, Class: Appalachian Labor and Economy will specifically focus on showcasing efforts and examples in Northeast Tennessee and the surrounding region pertaining to inclusive tourism, difficulties faced, as well as action steps all organizations can take to continue to move forward as a region in providing more inclusive interpretations.

This free workshop will take place online from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Dr. Daryl Carter, Director of the Black American Studies program at East Tennessee University, and Jules Corriere at the McKinney Center will moderate the Q&A session following the presentations. Participants can register for the event through the McKinney Center’s website. Participants must register in advance to receive the Zoom link. More information can be found on the Useable Past Facebook page or at McKinneyCenter.com.

This workshop series is a collaboration between several organizations, including the McKinney Center, the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, the Langston Centre, and the Black American Studies program at ETSU. The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School provides a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. The Heritage Alliance is a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. The Langston Centre is a cultural facility that promotes multicultural awareness and workforce development through arts, education and leadership activities. The Black American Studies program serves a critical role for the College of Arts & Sciences and ETSU by offering high-quality academic course offerings, superb programming, and opportunities for personal growth through service.

Black American Studies
April 21, 2022

Gospel on the Lawn

The ETSU Gospel Choir presents Gospel on the Lawn with special guest Jessica Reedy at the ETSU Ampitheater on Sunday, April 24 at 4 pm (Rain location is the Culp Auditorium). For more information, please contact Multicultural Center.

Black American Studies
April 21, 2022

Democracy vs. January 6th: Causes and Consequences of Divisive Politics and Civic Unrest

Hood College's Martha E. Church Center for Civic and Community Engagement is pleased to co-sponsor an upcoming event, “Democracy vs. January 6th: Causes and Consequences of Divisive Politics and Civic Unrest,” on Saturday, April 30th, from 8am-3pm (U.S. Eastern Time) in Washington, D.C. and livestreamed. Co-sponsors include the Menard Family Center for Democracy at Miami University, the James Madison University Center for Civic Engagement, Randolph-Macon College's Department of Political Science, the National Capital Area Political Science Association, and the American Political Science Association's Civic Engagement as well as Politics, Literature, and Film Sections.
 
The event features keynote addresses by individuals on the scene January 6th, 2021—Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and New York Times Congressional Correspondent Luke Broadwater—as well as panel discussions with contributing authors to the special issue about January 6th of the eJournal of Public Affairs and speakers addressing “Perspectives on Narrative and Visual Representations of January 6th.” (See the full agenda below.)
 
Please register here to attend virtually or in person (physical seats are limited and include continental breakfast plus a boxed lunch) here. After registering, your RSVP will be confirmed, and the Zoom link or address of the event will be provided. You can view more information about the event here.

Black American Studies
April 21, 2022

Langston Centre Higher Education Information Forum

The Langston Centre presents an enlightning morning filled with resources for a wider lens at higher education for students and their families. You can find out more about the program here, or contact Lucas Pino for more information.

Black American Studies
April 20, 2022

Women's Rights Are Human Rights Exhibition Opening and Round-Table Discussion

Reece Museum, April 28, 2022

3:30-4:30 pm

Join friends and colleagues for a social happy hour.

4:30-6:00 pm

Diverse Discussions: Women's Rights Are Human Rights

Creating a dialogue is a vital function of the visual arts. Artists and designers create works that expose, challenge, and confront social or cultural systems. These systems define the individual lived experience, but are built upon the complex intersections of the human condition. To explore this complexity, scholars from across ETSU will share their expertise and engage in a dialogue inspired by the visual arts.

Round-Table Chair

Jonathon Strube: Assistant Professor, Graphic Design

Round-Table Participants

Martha Copp, PhD: Professor of Sociology and Graduate Coordinator
Julia Dodd, PhD: Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director of STARH Lab
Heidi Marsh: Executive Aide and Adjunct Instructor, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Chelsea Wessels, PhD: Assistant Professor and Co-Director of Film Studies
Brittany Wilkins, PhD: Associate Professor and MSW Program Director
 
6:00-8:00 pm

Stay for the reception and enjoy the incredible works!

Day of Giving
April 19, 2022

Thank You

Black American Studies
April 18, 2022

Shine: Illuminating Black Stories at Barter Theatre

In the summer of 2020, Barter began collecting stories from local Black communities as part of their Black in Appalachia Initiative, which seeks to ensure all voices in the region have a platform to be heard and celebrated. Join them for an evening of artistic expression, where Black artists explore their identities and experiences in the Appalachian region.

This event will take place on Sunday, April 24 at 7 pm. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required. You can register for the event here.

Black American Studies
April 12, 2022

Dr. Leah Christiani: “He Said What?! Group Threat and the Tolerance for Explicit Racial Appeals in American Politics”

Dr. Christiani from UTK Political Science will present her research which focuses on the relationship between threats to group dominance and a willingness to accept derogations of minority groups.

In recent years, the United States has witnessed a resurgence of overt references to race and identity by politicians. This increase is surprising since previ-ous studies suggest citizens reject explicit racial ref-erences. Prof. Christiani examines why this change has occurred. She argues that when members of a dominant group feel their dominance is threatened by a minoritized group, they are more receptive to derogations of that minoritized group. For whites, feeling their dominance is threatened exerts a cross-pressure, challenging their adherence to the norm of racial equality. Prof. Christiani uses experiments, surveys, and observational data to show that when whites feel their group’s status on top of the U.S. racial hierarchy is threatened, they are more tolerant of negative, explicit racial appeals.

2:00PM-3:30PM, April 22, 2022
Rogers-Stout Hall 118
Open to the public!
Contact: David Miller

Black American Studies
April 11, 2022

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed for the Supreme Court

BAS would like to congratulate Judge Jackson on her confirmation for the United States Supreme Court. You can read more about her confirmation here.

Black American Studies
April 8, 2022

Black American Studies Rocks the Martin Center

The Natasha Trethewey event on Wednesday night drew hundreds from around the region. Dr. Carter remarked afterward: “Tonight’s event reflected the growing importance of the Black American Studies program on the campus of ETSU. Black American Studies continues to demonstrate both relevance and cutting edge programming and interdisciplinary collaboration. We are giving students academic and programming opportunities which enrich the undergraduate experience and prepares them for graduate/professional school and the workforce.” If you are in need of a minor, or are simply interested in specific courses, please email Dr. Carter at carterda@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
April 6, 2022

Reece Museum Wins Two TAM Awards

The Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University was the recipient of two Tennessee Association of Museums (TAM) Awards of Excellence at the recent TAM conference.

The TAM awards were presented to museums across the state for exceptional projects, programs and events held in 2021. The Awards Ceremony took place in Jonesborough at the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School on March 16. The Reece Museum received a Temporary Exhibit Award of Excellence for the “Illustrating Dante’s Divine Comedy” exhibition and a Special Event Award of Excellence for “Hip-Hop History: A Cultural Celebration event series.” 

You can read more about the Reece's accomplishments here.

Black American Studies
April 5, 2022

Natasha Trethewey Visit 4/6/2022

Natasha Trethewey served two terms as the 19th Poet Laureate of the United States (2012-2014). She is the author of five collections of poetry: Monument (2018), which was longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award; Thrall (2012); Native Guard (2006), for which she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize; Bellocq’s Ophelia (2002); and Domestic Work (2000), selected by Rita Dove as the winner of the inaugural Cave Canem Poetry Prize for the best first book by an African American poet, which also won the 2001 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Book Prize and the 2001 Lillian Smith Award for Poetry. Her book of nonfiction, Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, appeared in 2010. Her memoir, Memorial Drive (2020), was a New York Times Bestseller. She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Beinecke Library at Yale, and the Bunting Fellowship Program of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard. At Northwestern University, she is a Board of Trustees Professor of English in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. In 2012, she was named Poet Laureate of the State of Mississippi, and in 2013 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Trethewey will discuss her latest work, Memorial Drive, with the greater ETSU community on April 6, 2022 at 6 p.m. in the Martin Center Grand Hall. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Dr. Daryl Carter.

Black American Studies
April 5, 2022

No Kid Hungry Youth Ambassadors

Share Our Strength has created a program to involve college-aged Youth Ambassadors in the fight against childhood hunger by working with one of our No Kid Hungry community partners.

For the summer program, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee will host one (1) Youth Ambassador working on initiatives related to the alleviation of childhood hunger via our summer food service program and summer mobile pantry.

You can read the job description here, and apply here.

Black American Studies
March 30, 2022

ETSU Faculty Panel Discussion: The Impact of Censorship on the Community

This ETSU faculty panel will engage in a thoughtfully diverse discussion on how the impact of censorship and book banning in libraries affects the whole community. With looking at the history of censorship and what the current and future trends are in censorship, how does this current topic effect different members of our community, and how we can effectively support librarians, libraries, and community with the growing rise of censorship.

This is a virtual event on April 13 at 4:00 pm and will be moderated by Tiffany Watson featuring Drs. Daryl Carter, Scott Honeycutt, and Stacey Williams.

Black American Studies
March 30, 2022

Community Conversations at the Johnson City Public Library

On Saturday, April 2 from 2-4 p.m., Librarian Lisa Williams will hold a facilitated listening circle for those who wish to learn and practice intentional listening skills. This session will continue the Library's series of listening circles, and participants will get to know their community - and themselves! - better.
 
In April we will examine the topic of teaching "divisive concepts." Opposing viewpoints are encouraged in our listening circles as they present participants the opportunity to build intellectual rigor and self-regulation.
 
Community Conversations are held in the Library's Jones Meeting Room. Registration is required to ensure adequate social distancing. Please contact Lisa Williams at (423) 434-4454 with questions. You can register for the event here.

Black American Studies
March 28, 2022

Listening Session for CAS Students of Color

Black students within the College of Arts and Sciences are invited to pizza and refreshments on Monday, April 4 from 12:00-1:30 in Rogers-Stout 427. This is an opportunity to describe experiences as non-White students to Dr. Daryl Carter and other faculty of the college. Students will be asked questions pertaining to their experiences like, "In your opinion, what could ETSU do to better support Black students?" Please take this opportunity to make your opinion known. You can register for the session here.

Black American Studies
March 24, 2022

ETSU Piano Studio presents

The African American Composer Project

In Collaboration with the Black American Studies Program

Black American Studies
March 22, 2022

W.E.B. Du Bois Society Meeting Moved

The Du Bois Society will now be on Thursday, March 31 at 4 pm in Brown Hall room 364. The topic for this meeting is Black Women in 2022.

Black American Studies
March 21, 2022

History Department Speaker Series: Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens

The Department of History and the History Club at ETSU invite everyone to a lecture with Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens titled, "Why History Matters in Understanding American Medicine." This event will take place tonight, March 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Martin Center Powell Recital Hall.

Dr. Cooper Owens is The Charles & Linda Wilson Professor in the History of Medicine and Director of the Humanities in Medicine Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Attendees will be able to acquire a signed copy of her book Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology.

This event is free and open to the public with a book signing to follow. For more information, please contact Dr. Constanze Weise.

Black American Studies
March 9, 2022

Media and Cultural Diversity Fall 2022

MCOM 5020-001 CRN 82402 MW 11:00-12:20

Explore race, gender, class, culture, and other factors of identity in the fields of Brand and Media Strategy, Digital Communication, Video Games, Animation, Sports Media, News, and Information.

Please email Dr. Mimi Perreault for more details.

Black American Studies
March 3, 2022

Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey to Visit ETSU

Natasha Trethewey served two terms as the 19th Poet Laureate of the United States (2012-2014). She is the author of five collections of poetry: Monument (2018), which was longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award; Thrall (2012); Native Guard (2006), for which she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize; Bellocq’s Ophelia (2002); and Domestic Work (2000), selected by Rita Dove as the winner of the inaugural Cave Canem Poetry Prize for the best first book by an African American poet, which also won the 2001 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Book Prize and the 2001 Lillian Smith Award for Poetry. Her book of nonfiction, Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, appeared in 2010. Her memoir, Memorial Drive (2020), was a New York Times Bestseller. She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Beinecke Library at Yale, and the Bunting Fellowship Program of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard. At Northwestern University, she is a Board of Trustees Professor of English in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. In 2012, she was named Poet Laureate of the State of Mississippi, and in 2013 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Trethewey will discuss her latest work, Memorial Drive, with the greater ETSU community on April 6, 2022 at 6 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Center Grand Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Dr. Daryl Carter.

Black American Studies
March 1, 2022

Appalachian Dream Mechanics

Black American Studies
February 28, 2022

Black American Studies
February 28, 2022

Faith McPhearson

For Nashville-native Faith McPhearson, most of the courses she had taken about American history simply failed to properly cover slavery, segregation and the lingering civil rights issues connected to those eras.  

That reality helped prompt her to minor in East Tennessee State University’s Black American Studies Program.  

“In the Black American Studies Program, I am honored to be surrounded by people who look like me, but who also bring different perspectives on issues that are affecting us today,” she said. “As we know, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

A biology major who hopes to attend veterinary school after she graduates from ETSU, McPhearson visited the university for the first time while a senior at Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet for Health Sciences and Engineering High School.  

Participating in DISCOVER ETSU, an initiative by the ETSU Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center that invites 11th and 12th grade high school students to spend a weekend on campus, what she saw and experienced convinced her to become a Buccaneer.  

She especially loved the staff in the Multicultural Center.  

“I was sold on ETSU’s beautiful campus, and the people I met during DISCOVER ETSU,” she said. “I loved the mountains, and I knew it would be beautiful in the fall.”  

During her time at ETSU, she has worked with many faculty and staff. Dr. Daryl Carter, a professor of history, associate dean and director of the Black American Studies Program, stands out.  

“Dr. Carter is an amazing professor,” she said. “I know I can count on him to support me and other students’ collegiate journeys here at ETSU.” 

Pushed by a friend to seek out the Black American Studies Program, she was encouraged by what she found.

“With the courses,” she said, “I don’t feel like I have to hold my tongue. I get to hear different people’s perspectives from different backgrounds, which is great. They are fun classes.”  

In time, she hopes to see Carter’s program expand. 

“The dialogue, lectures, discussions and readings are fun, intriguing and dive deep into societal problems today,” she said.

Black American Studies
February 25, 2022

WGSS on Wednesdays

Join us next Wednesday, March 2, at NOON for Dr. Jean Swindle's talk, "Dangers of Feminism as Oppressive White Liberalism: Insights from Africana Womanism."

In this presentation, Swindle will outline the characteristics of white liberalism and trace its tenets in mainstream and contemporary feminist thought. She will then examine those interstices from a critique grounded in Africana Womanism that aims to shed light on the dangers of essentialist and monolithic frames of reference when challenging any type of oppression.

The live stream can be viewed here.

Black American Studies
February 22, 2022

Dr. Lindsey E. Cochran, assistant professor of Anthropology, will be delivering a digital lecture this Friday, February 25 from 12-1. It's part of the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery's Conversations with Collaborating Scholars series.

Dr. Cochran will explore her multidisciplinary approach to building a machine learning algorithm to assess historical maps for features and sites that could be overlooked in the archaeological and historical data. She hopes that this could be a useful technique to determining which archaeological sites to prioritize in the face of impacts from the climate emergency. 

You can register for this lecture here.

Black American Studies
February 10, 2022

Dr. Dorothy Roberts: Ending the Legacy of Racism in Medicine

At 5 p.m. on Feb. 22 via Zoom, Dr. Dorothy Roberts will speak about health care and Black Americans. Roberts is the author of Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty. Advance registration is required to participate live or access the recording afterward; register online at  https://bit.ly/ETSURoberts.Those who register will receive the Zoom link closer to the date of the event. This event is sponsored by the Quillen College of Medicine, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and the College of Arts and Sciences.

False biological concepts of race, structural racism, and conscious or unconscious racial bias all contribute to racial inequities in health. The medical profession has long defined disease and treated patients according to race. But race-based medicine can be reaced back to false assumptions about innate biological differences and to excuses for slavery and medical exploitation. Today, race-based medicine diverts attention and resources from the social determinants that cause appalling racial gaps in health. By understanding how racism has helped to structure medical knowledge, practice, and policies, we can end this backward legacy and collectively build a more equitable and healthier society.

Black American Studies
February 8, 2022

Black American Studies Lecture Series, Reggie Harris

Black American Studies is proud to present Reggie Harris as part of its 2021-2022 lecture series. Harris will be displaying a combination of story, song, and lecture in his performance titled, "A Family Revealed: Crossing the Barriers of History and Hope." He will be performing on Tuesday, February 8 at 6:00 pm in the Bud Frank Theatre. From Reggie's website, "Reggie Harris writes from a personal sense of mission that merges a world wise point of view with a singularly hopeful stance that life, though often challenging, is filled with possibility and hope. His songs reveal thoughts about life and love and some of the deep aspects of the human experience and cover topics from his own personal journey to world issues and history." 

Black American Studies
February 7, 2022

A Mile in My Shoes

Empathy is often neatly summed up as ‘putting yourself in someone else’s shoes’. It’s something that all people regardless of age, race, origin, or ethnicity need to be able to do in order to foster unity, appreciation and acceptance within a community.   It allows an opportunity to think about a person’s situation and understand their perspective. 

“A Mile in My Shoes” is a community event that engulfs the giftings of arts to showcase the sentiments of American icons and history of African Americans who have been instrumental and influential in the history of our nation.  Our goal is to offer a platform of diversity in presentation while challenging the audience to explore with an sensitive eye the life, challenge and great contribution of these historians. This event will be a display of the arts and an opportunity to invite you to step into someone else’s shoes and embark on a mile-long physical, emotional and imaginative journey to see the world through their eyes.

“A Mile in My Shoes” will be held February 28, 2022 at Martin Center for the Arts. 

Black American Studies
February 4, 2022

Black History Month with Appalachian Studies

For the month of February Appalachian Studies will have two exhibits in the Archives reading room (Sherrod room 422).  One is a selection of ca. 20 photographs from across their collections that highlight a range of African American experiences in Appalachia over time.  The other is a display of books by or about African American Appalachians from their holdings.  They featured both exhibits in this recent Facebook post.

They have provided digital access to the McClatchey Family Photographs (1924 and undated), a collection of 33 photographs related to a specific African American family in Johnson City in the early 20th century. They also featured this collection in a recent Facebook post.  Or the digital collection can be accessed directly here.

Black American Studies
February 2, 2022

Black History Month

East Tennessee State University will celebrate Black History Month in February with a range of events, school officials announced.

“At ETSU, we are proud to stand for diversity and inclusion,” said Dr. Daryl Carter, a professor of history, associate dean and director of the Black American Studies Program. “The Black American Studies Program is thrilled to support these initiatives, and I encourage students, faculty, staff and members of the community to consider attending what events they can.”   

Here’s a look at some of the events:  

• Starting at noon on Feb. 2 at the Langston Centre, Carter will give a series of talks about the experience of Black Americans since 2001. These talks will happen each Wednesday, starting at noon, through the month of February. The Centre is located at 315 Elm Street in Johnson City.  
• At 7 p.m. on Feb. 2, an interactive workshop on self-care will be held in the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center Presentation Room.
• Starting at 4 p.m. on Feb. 3, a film entitled, “I’m Not a Racist, Am I?” will be screened in the D.P. Culp Student Center, East Tennessee Room 272. For more information, contact Stacy Onks at onkss@etsu.edu or call 423-439-6942.
• 
  Starting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7 in the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center Presentation Room, The Black Affairs Association will host a discussion designed to educate and raise awareness of issues surrounding sex in the Black community, including health protection, relationships and intimacy in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.  
• 
  At 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 8 in the D.P. Culp Student Center Collaboration Space 216, free HIV/AIDs testing will be held as the Black Affairs Association honors National Black HIV/AIDs Awareness Day.  
• 
  At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at the Bud Frank Theatre, entertainer Reggie Harris will perform. Harris is a well-known musician and storyteller. The Bud Frank Theatre is located inside Gilbreath Hall on Stout Drive.  
• 
  At 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 in the D.P. Student Culp Center East Tennessee Room 272, the Black Affairs Association will host an event titled “Shades of Black Discussion.” This event will feature a discussion between black and brown students from different regions of the world about their perceptions of colorism, being black at a PWI (predominantly white institution), and bridging the divide between African and African American students.  
• 
  Starting at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13 in the Cave at the D.P. Culp Student Center, the Black Affairs Association will host an event entitled, “Jerseys On: The Final Game Watch Party.”  
• 
  At 7 p.m. on Feb. 10 via Zoom, Carter and Dr. Megan Tewell will speak about Black history. Register for the Zoom meeting here: bit.ly/3r06se3.  
• 
  At 6 p.m. on Feb. 18 at the Slocumb Galleries, Carter will participate in “Conversations on the Green Book” and the “Lost Communities of Johnson City.” The Slocumb Galleries is located on the campus of ETSU at 232 Sherrod Drive.
  Starting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18, the Black Affairs Association, as a part of “Unapologetically Black,” will host “Karaoke Night,” in the Cave 142 room located in the D.P. Culp Student Center.  
• 
  At 11 a.m. on Feb. 21 in the Cave 142 room located in the D.P. Culp Student Center, the Black Affairs Association will host the “Sankofa African American Museum on Wheels,” an exhibit that boasts a unique collection of inventions, rare artifacts, African art, sculptures, paintings and historical articles from black newspapers.  
• 
  At 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 via Zoom, Dorothy Roberts will speak about health care and Black Americans. Roberts is the author of “Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty.” Email waldenrr@etsu.edu for a Zoom link.  
• 
  At 6 p.m. on Feb. 23, Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin will speak about Black Appalachians. For additional information, contact Carter at carterda@etsu.edu.  
• At 7 p.m. on Feb. 23 at the D.P. Culp Student Center, Martha Street Auditorium 101, the Black Affairs Association presents “Step Afrika!,” a performance that blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dances, an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience.  
  Starting at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 at the Martin Center Recital Hall, the Black American Studies program and members of the ETSU Music Department will present “Celebrating Black American Composers.”
• 
  At 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26, the Black Affairs Association will be hosting an event entitled, “Semi-formal: The All Black Affair,” in Ballroom 316 in the D.P. Culp Student Center. 

For more information regarding the Black Affairs Association and their month-long celebration “Unapologetically Black,” contact Brook’ale Anderson at etsumc@etsu.edu or call 423-439-4844. For additional information, contact Lydia Carr at carrlm@etsu.edu or 423-439-4339. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at  423-439-8346. 

Black American Studies
February 2, 2022

W.E.B. DuBois Society

The DuBois Society will meet on Wednesday, February 3, 2022 at 4 pm in Brown Hall room 364. The topic of the meeting will be Black History Month. You can find out more information about the DuBois Society here. 

Black American Studies
January 27, 2022

The Yellow Book: Interstate Legacy and Old South Baton Rouge Photographs by Johanna Warwick

ETSU Department of Art & Design and Slocumb Galleries with the Student Activities Allocation Committee (SAAC), Black American Studies, UMOJA Festival, ETSU Multicultural Center, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Langston Center present Conversations on the Green Book by Dr. Daryl Carter and the Lost Communities of Johnson City February 18, Friday, 6 to 8 p.m., Slocumb Galleries.

Black American Studies
January 20, 2022

LCRC Grants Now Available

The Language and Culture Resource Center (LCRC) at ETSU invites our faculty, staff, and students to apply for our language and culture incentive grants. The LCRC is a resource center after all, and we want to support your initiatives that foster equity and inclusion through the lenses of language and culture. We have two types of opportunities, travel grants and research/ event grants. A total of three $500 travel grants and three $500 research/event grants will be awarded. The committee that will read and judge your grant applications this Spring consists of Dr. Phyllis Thompson, Dr. Chassidy Cooper, Dr. Daryl Carter, Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, Laura Kappel, and Dr. Felipe Fiuza. Any events or conferences happening either in the Spring or the Summer are eligible. To submit your application for the travel grants, please send your abstract and the letter of acceptance from the conference by email to lcrc@etsu.edu cc'ing kappel@etsu.edu then fill this form. To submit an application for the research/event grant please fill this form, and send any supporting materials that you think might be relevant by email to lcrc@etsu.edu cc'ing kappel@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
January 18, 2022

Usable Past Sites of Reconciliation: Empowerment through Challenging Histories

The McKinney Center is hosting a free workshop via Zoom on February 16 from 10:00-11:00 am. This workshop will be feature Kim Floyd from the Vance Birthplace, Gary Sandling from the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, and Beth Kelly from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. You can sign up for the event here, and view the Facebook event page here.

Black American Studies
January 11, 2022

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration

ETSU will be honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Friday, January 14, 2022 at 11:30 am at the Alumni Bell Tower. This event is sponsored by the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center. For more information, email etsumc@etsu.edu or call 423-439-4844.

Black American Studies
January 11, 2022

Hunter Museum Undergraduate Student Synopsium

Beyond the Frame will be on view January 28 through May 1. Exploring the curatorial process and 70 years of collecting at the Hunter, the exhibit features highlights of the museum collection as well as new acquisitions and will offer students insight into the formation of a collection as well as the focus on social justice taken by many artists including and major works by Nick Cave, Bisa Butler, Hank Willis Thomas, Dawoud Bey, Gajin Fujita and Deborah Luster. 

This exhibit has also inspired this year’s undergraduate student symposium theme - “The Politics of Choice.” The symposium will be held virtually on April 9 and welcomes papers that investigate the relationship between political discourse and creative choice. How has political discourse limited, restricted, and structured artistic choice, both in the past and today? How have artists’ selection of different materials, contents, and display contexts engaged or challenged political agendas? When is artistic choice a political act in its own right?  

Proposals are due on February 15 and details can be found here. We hope you will share this with your students and encourage them to submit. 

Black American Studies
December 7, 2021

Black American Studies would like to wish everyone a happy end to the semester and a peaceful holiday season!

Black American Studies
December 7, 2021

The Knoxville Gay Men's Chorus

The Knoxville Gay Men’s Chorus will present, “Slay, Belles!” a comedic, drag-filled, song and dance spectacular that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! The concert features familiar Christmas favorites as well as new pieces that will put a smile on your face. Shows are at 3:00 and 7:30 on Saturday, December 11 at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville and at 4:00 on Sunday, December 12 at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts. The KGMC was formed in 2012 and celebrates it’s tenth anniversary season this year. Members come from throughout eastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia, with two rehearsal groups (in Knoxville and Johnson City). The KGMC is directed by Dr. Alan Stevens, also Co-Director of Choral Activities at ETSU.

Note that the show is not recommended for young children due to some suggestive comedy and language.

Black American Studies
December 6, 2021

ENGL 4/5017: Children's Literature | W 4:00-6:50 pm | Dr. Phyllis Thompson

This semester, we will take a multicultural approach to our study of children’s literature as we consider the impact of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, ability/disability, religion, and nationality on literary content, illustration, cultural contexts, publishing history, critical reception and the societal values transmitted through children's literature.   

Readings will include:

Black American Studies
November 29, 2021

Come to the Culp Auditorium tonight at 7:30 for a musical performance based on the work of Josephine Baker!

Black American Studies
November 22, 2021

The Black American Studies program wishes everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

Black American Studies
November 19, 2021

Sweet Potato Pie

One of the traditional dishes in African American households for the holiday season is sweet potato pie. You can find out more about the history and significance of the sweet potato (and sweet potato pie) in the current newsletter from The HistoryMakers, here.

Black American Studies
November 17, 2021

The DuBois Society meeting for 11/18/21 has been postponed to after Thanksgiving! 

Black American Studies
November 9, 2021

Workshop: The State of Anti-Black Racism in U.S. SEM

December 6 and 7, 2021

Join the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine for a virtual public workshop to explore facets of anti-Black racism in U.S. science, engineering, and medicine. Register here.
 

This workshop will serve as a capstone for the Roundtable to review its work on this important issue. Join us to:

UNDERSTAND how racism continues to be a barrier to increasing the number of African-Americans in SEM. 

DISCUSS how systemic, anti-Black racism affects the educational pathways and mentoring and advising relationships of Black students in SEM.

FOCUS on how anti-Black racism contributes to the financial barriers and psychological factors that impact Black Students in SEM.

EXAMINE the role of anti-Black racism in the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black Communities.

This is an initiative of the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

More information available at the Event Page.

Black American Studies
November 4, 2021

Michael Ray Charles will be on campus Friday, November 5 to participate in FL3TCH3R events. He wanted to invite students, faculty, staff, and the community to the Reece this Friday, between 10 am – 1 pm, for an informal discussion and presentation.

Charles is a world-class artist whose work explores historic African American stereotypes from the Antebellum South. You can read more and see images of his work here.

Black American Studies
November 3, 2021

Multiple programs at East Tennessee State University have partnered to present Hip-Hop History: A Cultural Celebration, a series of events aimed at recognizing the important contributions hip-hop has made to art and culture.

The Black American Studies Program, the Reece Museum, and the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, with support from the College of Arts and Sciences’ Office of Equity and Inclusion, are working on this initiative.  

 “This partnership and collaborative exercise highlight the importance of Black Americans and their contributions to America, especially in Appalachia,” said Dr. Daryl A. Carter, professor, associate dean and director of Black American Studies.  

Over the summer, the United States Senate passed a resolution that designated November as “Hip-Hop History Month,” elevating hip-hop’s status to other uniquely American genres such as jazz, blues, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll. “Hip-hop artists and supporters, originally of African heritage, now transcend many different ages, ethnicities, religions, locations, political affiliations and socioeconomic statuses,” reads the resolution, “which demonstrates the melting-pot quality of hip-hop art and culture.” 

Rebecca Proffitt, interim director of the Reece Museum, said the collaboration “represents an opportunity to think about the ways that art forms create connective spaces between communities.” 

She added: “I think it’s important to recognize that many art forms that we think of as being traditionally Appalachian are rooted in African and Indigenous cultural expressions, representing a long history of the sharing of ideas and knowledge between culture groups.”  

To start the celebration, the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center plans to host singer and songwriter Jonathan Blanchard at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3, in room 101 of the D.P. Culp Student Center.  

The Reece Museum, located at 363 Stout Drive, will host more events later in the month: 

• At 1 p.m. on Nov. 16, Carter will present a lecture titled “The Business of Hip-Hop.”  
• At 3 p.m. on Nov. 16, there will be a panel discussion featuring ETSU History Professor Dr. Elwood Watson and Director of Black in Appalachia Will Isom.  
• At 1 p.m. on Nov. 18, there will be an artist talk by Johnson City artist Jason Flack, who also has an exhibition at the Reece Museum through the end of November.  
• At 3 p.m. on Nov. 18, Artistic Director of the Good Guy Collective and hip-hop artist Jarius Bush will give a presentation and musical performance. The event will end with a jam session between Bush and musicians from the ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies.   

“We are so thrilled about the many engaging events happening at the Reece Museum in November,” said Proffitt. “We welcome both our ETSU family, as well as the public, to attend.”  

Masks will be required at all indoor events. To learn more about hip-hop history events, call 423-439-4392 or visit www.etsu.edu/reece. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346. 

Black American Studies
November 1, 2021

Registration is now open for the Spring 2022 semester. Please take a look at these marvelous classes. Dr. Carter stands ready to assist each and every student. Drop him a line to schedule an appointment.

Black American Studies
October 22, 2021

Internship Opportunity

The Washington County Library is receiving a TN state grant to fund an intern to work on a  number of genealogy projects at my Jonesborough library. The grant will run from now through May 31, 2022.   

An intern could work at their own schedule (when the library is open) and would be an independent contractor. Pay would be $10.00 per hour up to 125 hours.

Basic duties would include working with the library historical collection on Flickr and helping to develop a local research guide.   Assistance on other projects may be requested. If you are interested in this position, please contact Mr. Richard M. Griffin, Jr.

Black American Studies
October 21, 2021

The Department of Theatre and Dance is offering THEA 2410- Physical Theatre: Commedia dell'Arte and THEA 5/4957- Special Topics: Social Change for Spring 2022. Commedia dell'Arte is offered on Tuesday/Thursday at 2:15-3:35. Students will study the acting style and rich history of the art form. This course is open to everyone who is interested in discovering the body and mask as a tool for dramatic expression. It is open to everyone and has no prerequisites. Special Topics: Social Change is offered on Monday/Wednesday at 3:10-4:30. Students will discuss how performers can change the world into a better, more equitable place and what practices, strategies, and tactics performance makers can use to address social issues. This course is open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

Black American Studies
October 21, 2021

Marcus Amaker and Taria Person

The Mary B. Martin School for the Arts and the Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative present Marcus Amaker and Taria Person. Experience a spoken word poetry performance with award-winning poets. Each poet will present their work, which will be followed by a workshop and discussion about the art of spoken word poetry. This event will take place in the Bud Frank Theatre located in Gilbreath Hall on Tuesday, November 9 at 4 pm. The event is free and open to the public; an audience Q&A and book signing will follow. ETSU requires the use of face coverings indoors for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Please contact Dr. Jesse Graves for more information.

Black American Studies
October 18, 2021

W.E.B. DuBois Society will meet this week on Thursday, October 21, 2021 at 4:00 pm in Brown Hall room 364 to discuss the next great civil rights battle. Please join us there! For more information about the W.E.B. DuBois Society, click here.

Black American Studies
October 18, 2021

Black American Studies rocks out at Open House!

Black American Studies
October 18, 2021

The Black American Studies program is deeply saddened to learn former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has died from Covid-19 complications. He was fully vaccinated. Secretary Powell served in the U.S. Army for more than three decades, rising to become the first Black American to serve as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Secretary of State. He was a four-star general who served two tours in Vietnam, was a White House Fellow under President Richard Nixon, and one of the most popular political figures of the last three decades. General Powell was born in Harlem and attended the City College of New York. Powell’s Army service began in 1958. At the time the Pentagon was looking for young Black officers with talent to mentor and promote. The young Powell’s intelligence, drive, ambition, valor, and work ethic earned him promotions, professional advancement, and powerful benefactors such as Richard Nixon, Richard Cheney, Frank Carlucci, Ronald Reagan, Casper Weinberger, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

In 2001, Colin Powell was confirmed as secretary of state. His popularity and integrity provided crucial cover for the Bush Administration’s war plans in Iraq. Secretary Powell left the administration in 2005 after four years in Foggy Bottom. As the Republican Party became more extreme, Powell—a lifelong Republican—challenged his own party. He endorsed Barack Obama and Joe Biden. He was married to the former Alma Johnson and had three children, Michael, Linda, and Annemarie.

Black American Studies
October 18, 2021

Charles Spurgeon Johnson & Lee Street Babtist Church Historical Marker Dedication

The community is invited to attend a historical marker dedication for Charles Spurgeon Johnson & Lee Street Babtist Church (Rev. Charles Henry Johnson) on the east side of Cumberland Square Park on Lee Street. The dedication will take place in Cumberland Square Park in Bristol, VA on Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 2:00 PM.

Black American Studies
October 15, 2021

100 Men Walk for Health Fair

Carver recreation in partnership with the City of Johnson City invites everyone to come to the 100 Men Walk for Health fair on Saturday, October 23, 2021. Door prizes for the first 100 men to register include T-shirts and pedometers.

Black American Studies
October 12, 2021

Hip-Hop History: A Cultural Celebration

The Black American Studies program, the Reece Museum, and the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, with support from the College of Arts & Sciences’ Office of Equity & Inclusion, have partnered to present Hip Hop History: A Cultural Celebration. Held at the Reece Museum and the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, these scheduled events will celebrate and recognize important contributions that Hip Hop has made to art and culture. Dr. Daryl A. Carter, director and associate dean says, “this partnership and collaborative exercise highlights the importance of Black Americans and their contributions to America, especially in Appalachia.”

In the summer of 2021, the U.S. Senate passed a Resolution that designated November 2021 as “Hip Hop History Month,” elevating Hip Hop’s status to equal other uniquely American genres such as jazz, blues, gospel, and rock and roll. Senate Resolution 331 states that “Hip Hop artists and supporters, originally of African heritage, now transcend many different ages, ethnicities, religions, locations, political affiliations, and socioeconomic statuses, which demonstrates the melting-pot quality of Hip Hop art and culture.”

Rebecca Proffitt, interim director of the Reece Museum says, “This collaboration represents an opportunity to think about the ways that art forms create connective spaces between communities. I think it’s important to recognize that many art forms that we think of as being “traditionally Appalachian” are rooted in African and Indigenous cultural expressions, and represent a long history of the sharing of ideas and knowledge between culture groups.”

To kick off the celebration of Hip-Hop History Month, the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center plans to host Jonathan Blanchard on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 7 pm, in a performance entitled “From History to Hip-Hop.” This interactive experience chronicles the evolution of American music from field songs to hip hop, and will introduce participants to hip hop’s original creators and its main elements, providing context to the key aspects of the art form.

Events held at the Reece Museum on November 16 & 18, 2021, will include a lecture by Dr. Carter, an artist talk by Johnson City Artist Jason Flack, a panel discussion on Hip Hop culture, and an exploration of the merging of Hip Hop culture with Appalachian culture. The Reece Museum will also have Jason Flack’s Hip Hop themed artwork on display for the month of November.

The Reece Museum, housed in the Department of Appalachian Studies at ETSU, is a unit of the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, which resides in the same department. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To learn more about Hip Hop History events, please phone (423) 439-4392 or visit www.etsu.edu/reece.

The Black American Studies program is housed in the College of Arts & Sciences. Black American Studies is an interdisciplinary academic program. Undergraduate students may select Black American Studies as a minor. The cornerstones of this program are: 1) respect for knowledge, 2) respect for others, 3) affirmation of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, 4) determination to improve our society through education and service, 5) humility, 6) compassion, and 7) cooperation. For more information about the minor and to learn more about the Black American Studies please visit www.etsu.edu/afam. Please feel free to contact Dr. Daryl A. Carter, director of the program, at (423) 439-7429 or carterda@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
October 11, 2021

Dr. William H. Turner Lecture and Book Signing

Dr. Turner will discuss his new book, The Harlan Renaissance, an intimate remembrance of kinship and community from the treasured son of one of the most successful and diverse coal camps in Appalachia's history.

Dr. Turner is the preeminent chronicler of the Black experience in Appalachia. His many honors include: Kentucky’s 2006 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Person of the Year, membership in Kentucky’s Civil Rights Hall of Fame, and the Appalachian Studies Association Lifetime Service Award.

Book signing to follow, with copies available for purchase.

The event will take place on Thursday, October 21 at 7 p.m. in the Cave.

Black American Studies
October 5, 2021

Black American Studies is happy to announce that our class listings for Spring 2022 are now available! You can view the full list here.

Black American Studies
September 22, 2021

Anthropos is hosting its first meeting of the year. Students are encouraged to come meet their professors, each other, and have discussions. Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 23 at 4:30 pm in Rogers-Stout 224.

Black American Studies
September 14, 2021

Black American Studies kicks off its lecture series with Curtis Wilkie. Wilkie is a journalist, retired professor, and historian hailing from Greenville, Mississippi. He wrote for the Boston Globe from 1975-2001 after which he returned to Mississippi to join the Ole Miss journalism faculty. He has since retired from Ole Miss in 2020. Most of Wilkie's career has been focused on politics and issues related to social justice. Mr. Wilkie will be joining us via Zoom on Tuesday, October 19 at 7 p.m. We hope you join us for night with an incredible guest. For questions about joining the Zoom meeting, please contact Lydia Carr.

Black American Studies
September 14, 2021

Celebrating 50 Years of Giving Power to Young Adult Voices

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the ratification of the 26th Amendment—the amendment that guaranteed 18-year-olds the right to vote in all US elections and outlawed age discrimination among eligible voters. Throughout this landmark anniversary we celebrate the youth vote, while recognizing that barriers facing young people, and particularly college students, have prevented us from fulfilling the full promise of the 26th Amendment. And expanding the youth vote is about more than just age. Today’s youngest generations are the most diverse in our country’s history, and achieving the full promise of the 26th Amendment goes hand-in-hand with striving for racial justice – and against voter suppression. This year’s anniversary highlights the importance of youth voting rights activism, and its role in creating a more diverse and equitable democracy.

Join us Thursday, September 16 via Zoom for a conversation with a panel of students, faculty, staff on the ongoing project of fulfilling the promise of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment today. Dr. Carter will be attending the panel event and encourages everyone to attend, as well.

Black American Studies
September 9, 2021

Last night dozens of faculty, staff, and students enjoyed the live poetry craft lecture and reading of Tyree Daye. President Noland remarked that this was the first major academic event in the newly renovated Culp Center. Black American Studies, as he noted, is fully engaged in uplifting and transforming the program and minor into a leading point of light on the ETSU campus. Please stay tuned for future events. Our next event will be in October.

Black American Studies
September 3, 2021

Toward Justice and Share Humanity
Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, soprano, and Dr. Casey Robards, pianist, will present a recital featuring the works of black composers that explores how their music relates to their heritage.
The recital is presented as part of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Seminar held on the ETSU Campus.
Tickets are $15 General Admission, $10 for Seniors, and FREE for Students. (Available at the door)
The recital will be held in the Powell Recital Hall in the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts.

Black American Studies
September 2, 2021

The Umoja Festival is happening this year for one day only. Come down to King Commons Park in Downtown Johnson City on Saturday, September 11 starting at 4 pm for artisan crafts, family fun, and live music. For more information, click here.

Black American Studies
August 26, 2021

Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music

A six-part podcast series, “Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music,” is in the works, co-hosted by Dr. Ted Olson, an East Tennessee State University professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies, and Dr. William Turner, a noted scholar on African American communities in Appalachia.

The first two episodes are now available on all popular podcast streaming platforms through the Great Smoky Mountains Association’s “Smoky Mountain Air” podcast.

You can read more about the podcast, here.

Black American Studies
August 25, 2021

AUDITIONS

Auditions for both Men on Boats and Straight White Men will be held:

September 1 at 7:00 pm in the Bach Theatre (Martin Center for the Arts)

Please perform a 60 second contemporary monologue.  If you do not have a monologue prepared, one will be provided for you.

Call backs will be held:

Men on Boats: September 2 at 7:00 pm in the Bach Theatre (Martin Center for the Arts)

Straight White Men: September 2 at 7:00 pm in Studio 205 (Campus Center Building)

About Men on Boats:

Men on Boats*, a comedy by Jaclyn Backhaus, tells the “true(ish)” story of 10 explorers — a one-armed captain and crew of insane yet loyal volunteers — who set out to chart the course of the Colorado River during an 1869 expedition, writes Dramatists Play Service.  The show runs Nov. 18-21. 

*Contains strong language.

NOTE from the PLAYWRIGHT on Men on Boats CASTING:

The characters in MEN ON BOATS were historically cisgender white males. The cast should be made up entirely of people who are not. I'm talking about racially diverse actors who are female­ identifying, trans-identifying, genderfluid, and/or non-gender­ conforming.

About Straight White Men:

In Young Jean Lee’s  Straight White Men*, when Ed and his three adult sons come together to celebrate Christmas, they enjoy cheerful trash-talking, pranks, and takeout Chinese. Then they confront a problem that even being a happy family can’t solve: when identity matters, and privilege is problematic, what is the value of being a straight white man? The show runs February 17-20. 

*Contains strong language.

NOTE from the PLAYWRIGHT on Straight White Men CASTING:

Ideally, Person in Charge 1 and Person in Charge 2 should be played by transgender or non-binary performers (preferably of color).  Because the opening speech should be in the voices of the People in Charge and express their points of view, the performers should be very clear on why they want to participate in the production and be prepared to collaborate on their own text.

Hope to see you at auditions!

Black American Studies
August 24, 2021

Earlier this month the US Senate passed Resolution 331, which does the following:

Designates August 11 as “Hip Hop Celebration Day”

Designates August 2021 as “Hip Hop Recognition Month”

AND

Designates November 2021 as “Hip Hop History Month”

The bill was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York.

Black American Studies
August 23, 2021

The CAS Office of Equity & Inclusion and the Strong Brain Institute (SBI) have partnered to work on ways to promote a resilient campus community. Here is a document which discusses ways all of us can promote resilience during these difficult times. Please take a look at this brief video (link). Thank you for taking the time to read this and to listen to this short video. Have a great start to the fall semester. If you have any question please do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Carter, Dr. Diana Morelen, or Dr. Dixon.

Black American Studies
August 20, 2021

The Ultimate Guide to Campus Resources

With the COVID-19 Delta variant spreading rapidly throughout our region and the nation, we must continue to be diligent in following health and safety precautions.  Below you will find information and links from our Bucs Are Back website that address some of the frequently asked questions that have been raised.

Vaccine Challenge
Policy on Face Coverings
Vaccinations
Testing
COVID-19 Dashboard
Self-Reporting of COVID-19 diagnosis: If you have tested positive or think you may have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, please call 423-439-7785.  A member of the Environmental Health and Safety team will fill out an intake form, coordinate contact tracing efforts, and provide guidance on any quarantine requirements.

Important Resources to Know:

Housing and Residence Life: Learn more about ETSU halls and apartments and submit a housing application by visiting the Housing and Residence Life website. You can also contact staff at housing@etsu.edu or 423-439-4446.

ETSU Bookstore: Visit the ETSU Campus Store located on the 1st floor of the D.P. Culp Student Center. Contact cbirdwell@follett.com or 423-439-4436.

Tutoring: The Learning Services offers tutoring sessions for all subjects supported in the center.

Dining Services: Our friends at Sodexo ensure that our students have access to multiple dining options seven days a week. Many of these dining options are open in the D.P. Culp Student Center.

Disability Services: Disability Services staff provide services for eligible students and are available to meet by phone or Zoom. Students or faculty who have questions related to disability accommodations should contact Disability Services at 423-439-8346 or littleme@etsu.edu or singletonlb@etsu.edu.

Academic Advising: Academic advisors across campus are committed to the success of our students. Currently, academic advisors are advising in person, via phone, email and Zoom. Please use the Advisor Contact List (search query) to contact your academic advisor. To find you advisor, visit etsu.edu/advisement, email advisement@etsu.edu or 423-439-8557.

University Health Center provides acute and episodic care and supports wellness to university students and employees. Learn more about services and hours of operation by visiting the center’s website.

Financial Aid and Scholarships: Stop by between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, to drop off documents or ask general financial aid and scholarship questions, or meet with your financial aid counselor. Schedule a FASTPASS Zoom appointment for a time that works for you. An online chatbox, a video series about commonly asked questions, a library of short and informative videos, and other resources can be found on the Financial Aid website.  Learn more at etsu.edu/finaid, email finaid@etsu.edu or 423-439-4300.

Counseling Center: The Counseling Center is open and providing in-person tele-mental health counseling sessions via Zoom. Staff is also available to provide consultation to help you find local resources, and our 24/7/365 telephone mental health helpline, Bucs Press 2, is always available to provide counseling support by phone.  To access BucsPress2, dial 423-439-4841 and just press “2.” Learn more at etsu.edu/students/counseling. To establish as a client, contact the Counseling Center to initiate service at 423-439-3333.

University Career Services: University Career Services offers ongoing career support and planning to students. Learn more by visiting etsu.edu/students/careers/. You may also contact the office at careers@etsu.edu or 423-439-4450.

Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center is a gathering place for students and offers workshops, programming, and leadership opportunities. For more information, call 423-439-4844 or email etsumc@etsu.edu.

CPA - Basler Center for Physical Activity (Campus Recreation): The CPA is open. All students and members are required to wear face coverings while in the facility but may remove them while working out or exercising. Visit etsu.edu/students/campusrec or contact campusrec@etsu.edu or 423-439-7980.

Patricia Robertson Pride Center provides programming, campus resources, and educational training for ETSU students, faculty, staff and the community. Learn more by emailing pridecenter@etsu.edu or calling 423-439-8408.

D.P. Culp Student Center: The D.P. Culp Student Center is your campus living room where you can gather with friends, enjoy a meal, shop at the bookstore, attend events, visit one of the centers or offices, or participate in a meeting. Learn more at here or call 423-439-4286.
BucShot, Campus Shuttle: This free campus shuttle service is available for ETSU students, faculty and staff and is powered by Johnson City Transit. More information and a route map are available at etsu.edu/facilities/parking/bucshot.php.

Bucky's Food Pantry: Bucky's Food Pantry is available to assist students. Call 423-439-2825 to arrange for a box of food.

Dean of Students: Learn about services available to help support you during your journey at ETSU.

New Student & Family Programs: ETSU has an office responsible for both assisting new students and parents/family members with the transition to ETSU and a formal family group - the Buccaneer Family Association.

Student Activities and Organizations (SAO): Historically, students have reported that making the choice to get involved with campus organizations was one of the best decisions they ever made at ETSU. Learn more about the many organizations available to students. For more information, email sao@etsu.edu or call 423-439-6633

Fraternity and Sorority Life: Hoping to join a fraternity or sorority? New member recruitment is going on now! Check out the College Panhellenic Instagram page for more information @etsupanhellenic. Interfraternity Council requires interested students to register on their website. National Pan-Hellenic Council chapters host “interest” or “informational” meetings for students. Follow our chapters on social media to receive updates! Chapters can be found by going to @etsu_nphc on Instagram. General questions may be directed to Maggie Darden, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at dardenm@etsu.edu or 423-439-6837.  More information is on the Fraternity and Sorority Life website.

ID Services: Visit the ID Services website to upload your own photo and for information on the various ways you can use your ETSU ID including using ID BUC$ at many off-campus merchants. Learn more at etsu.edu/students/idservices/default.php or IDBUCS@etsu.edu or 423-439-8316.

ITS Help Desk: Need tech assistance? The ITS Help Desk is the place to go for IT support, training, or info. 

Sherrod Library:
Sherrod Library building and service hours: https://libraries.etsu.edu/about/hours. Most all Sherrod Library services and collections are available online: https://libraries.etsu.edu/

Study rooms and spaces for individuals and groups on every floor: https://libraries.etsu.edu/use/study

100+ computers and printing on floors 1-3: https://libraries.etsu.edu/use/computers
Research help is available via:
Email: refdesk@etsu.edu
Chat with Us: https://libraries.etsu.edu
Schedule your personal Research Help appointment: https://libanswers.etsu.edu
For more help contact refdesk@etsu.edu or call 423-439-4307 or 1-866-542-3878 (1-866-LIB-ETSU)

Black American Studies
August 12, 2021

W.E.B. Du Bois Society Meetings

The new student and community orginization will meet this upcoming semester on the following dates:

Fall 2021

September 16--Being Black in 2021 
October 21--What is the next great civil rights battle!
November 18--Challenges for Blacks at university

All meetings will be in Brown Hall room 364 at 4 pm.

Black American Studies
August 12, 2021

The Department of Theatre and Dance at East Tennessee State University will present its 2021-2022 season in the Martin Center for the Arts beginning in November.

The season opens with “Men on Boats,” a comedy by Jaclyn Backhaus.  Featuring an all-female cast, “Men on Boats” tells the “true(ish)” story of 10 explorers – a one-armed captain and crew of insane yet loyal volunteers – who set out to chart the course of the Colorado River during an 1869 expedition, writes Dramatists Play Service.  The show contains strong language.

The show runs November 18-21 and will be directed by ETSU faculty member Cara Harker.  The creative team includes Melissa Shafer (lighting and sound design), Jonathon Taylor (scenic design), Ante Ursic (movement/choreography), Sarah Slagle (costume design), Zach Olsen (technical design), Caroline Daniels (assistant lighting designer) and Emma-Rae Carson (stage management).

“Straight White Men” will be performed February 17-20.  The show is written by Young Jean Lee, who was the first Asian American to have a play produced on Broadway.  “Straight White Men” ran on Broadway in 2018 and features three brothers – Drew, Jake, and Matt – who have gathered at their Midwestern home on Christmas Eve with their widowed father, Ed.

Melissa Shafer will direct “Straight White Men” with Ante Ursic (movement/choreography), Zach Olsen (technical design), Jonathon Taylor (scenic design), Caroline Daniels (assistant lighting design), Beth Skinner (costume design) and Ian Shockley (lighting design).  “Straight White Men” contains adult themes and strong language.

“Bright Star,” a musical written and composed by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, will take the stage April 1-10.  Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina during the mid-1940s, “Bright Star” tells the story of literary editor Alice Murphy who meets a young soldier upon his return home following World War II.  The show is produced through special arrangement with, and all authorized performance materials are supplied by, Theatrical Rights Worldwide.

The musical will be directed by Bobby Funk, with music direction by Brad Fugate.  The “Bright Star” design team includes Cara Harker (movement/choreography), Jonathon Taylor (scenic design), Beth Skinner (costume design), Melissa Shafer (lighting design), Zach Olsen (technical design), Emma-Rae Carson (stage management), Kallie Jenkins (assistant scenic design), Lucy McGee (assistant costume design) and Ian Shockley (assistant lighting design).

Tickets will go on sale later in the fall.  For more information about the 2021-2022 season, visit www.etsu.edu/theatre.

Black American Studies
August 11, 2021

The First Tennessee Development District is sponsoring several internships in the area, including one at the Langston Centre. You can check out all the opportunities here.

Black American Studies
August 11, 2021

Black American Studies presents Tyree Daye, poet and educator at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Daye will be joining us for a day of celebrating Black writers on September 8, 2021. He will begin with his craft talk on "Nina Simone and Tone" at 2 pm in the Cave and finish the day with a poetry reading from his latest book, Cardinal, in the Culp Auditorium at 7 pm. Both events are free and open to the public with a book signing to follow.Additional support provided by the Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative and the Department of Literature and Language.

Black American Studies
August 10, 2021

Useable Past: Spotlighting Successful Regional Development

The “Usable Past” workshop series returns August 26 with an in-depth roundtable discussion with directors from the Alex Haley Farm, Green McAdoo Cultural Center, and the Langston Cultural Centre. This conference and workshop for tourism professionals and other interested individuals will help participants develop strategies and increase tourism opportunities with and for untapped or overlooked groups.

Over 100 million visitors come to Tennessee each year, and the State typically earns over 20 billion dollars in revenue from tourists. It’s important that visitors, whether they are families, couples, or individuals seeking adventure, feel safe and represented in the places they visit and stay. Heritage Tourism is a large part of why people travel, they want to know their history, but this is a field that has struggled to be inclusive and welcoming to folks of all backgrounds. How can we, as leaders in the field of tourism in Northeast Tennessee work to set an example for other areas as an inclusive region?

The Useable Past series tackled this big question in April of 2021 with speakers from the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, Black in Appalachia, and East Tennessee State University. Useable Past is back this August with another workshop. This series seeks to showcase efforts and examples in Northeast Tennessee when it comes to inclusive tourism, difficulties faced, as well as action steps we can all take to continue to move forward as a region.

This free workshop will take place online from 9:00 am – 10:30 am on Thursday, August 26. Speakers include Kenneth Libby, Business Manager for the Children’s Defense Fund at the Alex Haley Farm, Adam Velk, Museum Director at Green McAdoo Cultural Center, and Adam Dickson, Langston Centre Director. Dr. Daryl A. Carter, Director of the Black American Studies program at East Tennessee University and Jules Corriere with the McKinney Center will moderate the Q&A session following the presentations. Participants can register for the event through the McKinney Center’s website at McKinneyCenter.com Participants must register in advance to receive the Zoom link.

This workshop series is a collaboration between the McKinney Center, the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, the Langston Centre, and the Black American Studies program at ETSU. The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School provides a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. The Heritage Alliance is a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. The Langston Centre is a cultural facility that promotes multicultural awareness and workforce development through arts, education and leadership activities.

Black American Studies serves a critical role for the College of Arts & Sciences and ETSU by offering high quality academic course offerings, superb programming, and opportunities for personal growth through service.

Black American Studies
July 27, 2021

Black Men in White Coats

Fewer black men applied to medical school in 2014 than 1978 nationally and in Tennessee. The number is still down. The East Tennessee State University, Quillen College of Medicine, Color My World Healthy Library and Carver Recreation, Johnson City will be hosting the documentary “Black Men in White Coats” this Thursday, July 29, 6:00 at Carver Recreation. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, students, school and community leaders, such as yourselves, have and are being invited to attend this event. Dr. Scott Malone, Quillen ’92, along with members of the Quillen Student National Medical Association will be speaking. Please come out and be a part of the solution.

Black American Studies
July 26, 2021

Civil Rights icon Bob Moses died at his Florida home on July 25, 2021. Moses was 86 years old. At the beginning of the 1960s Moses decided to quit his work as a teacher at a high school in New York City and travel to Mississippi to help with the growing Civil Rights struggle in arguably the most recalcitrant state in the South. More an organizer than public face, Moses helped to organize poor Blacks and assisted countless Black Mississippians register to vote. Moses was the victim of white terrorism as a result of his efforts.

Bob Moses not only helped with Freedom Summer but was a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He was a member of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1964. Later in the 1960s Moses worked to end the war in Vietnam. But he never strayed too far from his original calling: teaching. A proponent of education Moses took a special interest in math education. During his long life Bob Moses made a difference in the lives of countless Americans. 

As we approach the beginning of another academic year we must remember that the gains of the recent past--voting rights, equal access, educational opportunity--can be stripped away by those in public office willing to undermine the hard-fought victories of the civil rights movement. It is incumbent upon all of us to 1) treat each other with dignity and respect, 2) to protest nonviolently, 3) engage in respectfully and civil discourse, and 4) recognize the myriad ways in which racism, poverty, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and overall detestable thoughts and behaviors can harm everyone, including those promoting such wicked ideas and actions.  

Black American Studies
July 20, 2021

The Young Appalachian Story Summit (YASS) 

The Young Appalachian Story Summit is a storied leadership summit for young adult Appalachians ages 18-25 who live and work in the Appalachian region, and who care about issues affecting this region and how we can use story as a leadership tool to help brighten Appalachia’s future. We are especially focused on amplifying voices from historically marginalized backgrounds, and challenging the monoculture myth of Appalachia. We’re also challenging the “poor hillbilly” stereotype by highlighting the creative/professional/grass-roots/etc. kinds of projects in which young Appalachians are engaged.

The theme for the 2021 YASS is “Crossroads” and will focus on the intersections of who we are and how we engage with the wider community. It will be held Sunday, September 12 from 9:00am-4:30pm at our Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and will feature several regional experts in their fields covering everything from civic engagement to social media to racial justice. The day-long intensive will feature workshops, networking, a panel discussion, and story circles all aimed at empowering young adults to share their voices in their wider communities. The fee is only $30, and we have scholarships and travel stipends available (as well as housing options for those travelling greater than 100 miles.) Click here for more information.

Black American Studies
July 19, 2021

The FL3TCH3R Exhibit Call for Entries

The 2021 9th Annual FL3TCH3R EXHIBIT is an international juried exhibit focused on socially and politically engaged art. Socially and politically engaged art has been integral in creative expression since the beginning of visual arts. This exhibition explores the current trends and trajectory in this field and these collective creative works hopefully serve as an avenue or agent for societal transformation and exposure of social and political points of view. The goal is to recognize and advance this endeavor by providing a venue for the exhibition of socially and politically engaged art. Furthermore, the exhibit’s proceeds after expenses will fund the Fletcher H. Dyer Memorial Scholarship for an art and design student. You can find out more about the FL3TCH3R Exhibit, here and download a prospectus, here.

Black American Studies
July 12, 2021

The 5th Minority Mental Health Awareness Summit
July 13-15, 2021

You can find out more information on the No More Martyrs website, here.

Black American Studies
July 7, 2021

You might enjoy hiking, kayaking, or a relaxing weekend in the mountains. But, because of your racial/ethnic identification and longtime stories about regional history, you may decide not to participate.

INCOMPASS is a recent initiative promoting inclusion in the outdoors. On Wednesday, 7/21/21 at 7 pm, INCOMPASS will host a Listening Session at the Langston Centre. They want to know your thoughts to the following questions:

• ·   Do you as a minority feel uncomfortable in the outdoors?
• ·   Have you ever experienced discrimination while enjoying an outdoor outing?
• ·   Do you think you would plan more outdoor activities if you knew the environment was inclusive?
• ·   What ideas do you have to encourage more minorities to engage in outdoor activities?

Black American Studies
July 1, 2021

Michael Young Scholarship

Students should consider applying for the Michael Young Scholarship, a new scholarship at East Tennessee State University that will support students who are active participants at the Langston Centre in Johnson City.

The center is a multicultural facility focused on arts, education and community leadership.  The scholarship is named in memory of Michael Young, a member of the Langston High School Class of 1965 who was the last student to graduate from the school.  From 1893-1965, Langston was Johnson City’s school for African American students.  Young passed away April 4, 2020.

This new scholarship is being established between the Langston Education and Arts Development (LEAD) organization and ETSU.  Adam Dickson, supervisor of the Langston Centre, says Young chaired LEAD’s board and was instrumental in advocating for his alma mater and ushering the community-driven effort to create the Langston Centre.

Young served in the U.S. Air Force from 1965-69 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from ETSU.  He retired from CSX Railroad in 2014.

“The Michael Young Scholarship recognizes a really good man who loved his high school,” Dickson said. “This initiative furthers Langston’s motto to ‘Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve’ and will open the door for more young people to learn, grow and ultimately become trailblazers and agents of change.”

For more information about the scholarship, or to make a donation to the Michael Young Scholarship Fund, contact Dessi Foster in ETSU University Advancement at 423-439-5125 or fosterdk@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
June 21, 2021

PHIL 3063 Philosophy Colloquium: Philosophy of Race

What is race? What is racism? How does it affect our lives today? This course introduces the history of ideas about race and how they affect the world we live in. We examine a range of views about the meaning of race as well as the practical, political, and ethical implications of the history of race. Topics include realism and constructivism about race, scientific theories of race and scientific racism, affirmative action, race and the American justice system, and the intersection of issues between race, gender, and class.

Black American Studies
June 10, 2021

Opportunities to Commemorate Junteenth

Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day, is celebrated June 19 to commemorate the announcement of General Order No. 3, which in 1865, notified the people of Texas that all enslaved people would be freed as directed by the Emancipation Proclamation. This is an important opportunity to learn about and acknowledge a significant and oftentimes overlooked chapter in our nation’s history. The ETSU Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center (2nd floor of D.P. Culp Student Center) will hold a Juneteenth program on Friday, June 18 starting at 11:30 a.m. Activities include a drum circle, spoken word, and a historical overview of Juneteenth provided by Dr. Daryl Carter, Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion in the College of Arts and Sciences and Director of Black American Studies. Opportunities to enjoy refreshments and decorate drums will continue throughout the afternoon at the Multicultural Center.

The Kingsport community is also planning a Juneteenth Celebration with multiple events scheduled for June 17-20. Click here for more information. In Bristol, a Juneteenth Celebration will be held at Cumberland Square Park on June 19. Click here to learn more.

Black American Studies
June 3, 2021

In 1820, Elihu Embree published his newspaper The Emancipator on Main Street, Jonesborough. The seven edition paper is the first publication dedicated solely to the cause of abolitionism. Embree passed away in December of 1820, and the paper died with him. Even though it was short-lived, The Emancipator had over 2,000 subscribers and its reach went all the way to Boston and Philadelphia. In spite of his abolitionist beliefs, Embree himself was an enslaver. Nancy was an enslaved woman owned by Elihu Embree, and her story will be told on Saturday, June 19th in an original play entitled “Nancy” at the Embree House Historic Farm in Telford. 

Written by Anne G’Fellers-Mason, Executive Director of the Heritage Alliance, “Nancy” will follow a year in the woman’s life, from January 1820 when Elihu Embree wrote his will to January 1821 when his will was read before the Washington County court. In his will, Embree tried to free Nancy and her five children, but were his wishes carried out? What was Nancy feeling and thinking during this time? The play is based on primary research relying heavily on documents from the Washington County Archives. The role of Nancy will be performed by local actress Ubunibi-Afia Short. “I’ve wanted to tell Nancy’s story for a long time,” says Mason, “and it’s an honor to have such an amazing actress to help tell it. I believe Nancy’s story shows just how complicated the system of enslavement was in the United States and how unjust it was. We know Embree’s story so well. It’s past time we know Nancy’s.” 

Three performances will be held on June 19th with showings at 1:00 pm, 3:30 pm, and 6:30 pm. The show will take place at the historic Embree House in Telford and will last about an hour. A Q&A session and a chance to tour parts of the Embree House will follow each performance. Tickets are $12.00 and proceeds from ticket sales will help fund the educational programs of the Heritage Alliance. You can purchase tickets through Jonesborough’s online system at jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitor’s Center at 423-753-1010. Seating is limited, so make sure you purchase your tickets in advance.

June 19th is recognized as Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day, a celebration of the day that word of emancipation finally reached a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas in June of 1865. The Heritage Alliance hopes you will join us as a part of your celebration that day as we remember Nancy and tell her story.   

The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. For more information, visit our website at heritageall.org or call our office at 423-753-9580.

Black American Studies
May 17, 2021

Be sure to check out the Drum Festival presented by Umoja Johnson City. The event is free and takes place on June 12 from 5-10 p.m. at the Pavillion in Founder's Park.

Black American Studies
May 12, 2021

 We congratulate Mr. Tariq Barnes, Africana Studies minor, upon his May 2021 graduation!

Black American Studies
May 3, 2021

New Freedom Stories Story Map, Discussion from International Storytelling Center

(Jonesborough, Tenn.) – The International Storytelling Center (ISC), home to the world-renowned National Storytelling Festival and Storytelling Live! teller-in-residence series, is proud to announce the launch of their Freedom Stories Story Map, part of their new Freedom Stories Toolkit. They will also host the eleventh public discussion in their popular Freedom Stories initiative exploring the Black heritage of Appalachia.

The Freedom Stories Story Map serves as an amalgamation of location data which pertains to Freedom Stories discussions. It includes material and images about places of interest which relate to each of the Freedom Stories public discussions, and information on project supporters. Links within the map take viewers directly to corresponding discussion recordings available in the Freedom Stories Toolkit on the ISC website. The interactive map can be accessed at www.StorytellingCenter.net/freedom-stories/story-map.

In addition to the story map, ISC will host its eleventh Freedom Stories discussion titled, The Civil Rights Movement: It Still Remains. Through performance with musician, storyteller, and educator Reggie Harris, and discussion with community activists Ann Beard Grundy and Charles Neblett, and professor Dr. Daryl Carter we will examine the role Appalachia played in this liminal period. Reggie Harris is an internationally acclaimed performer, singer, songwriter, storyteller, and cultural ambassador. Ann Beard Grundy grew up in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, where her father, Rev. Luke Beard, pastored for sixteen years. Charles Neblett was deeply affected by the murder of Emmett Till in 1955 and became involved in the Civil Rights Movement early on as a charter member of the S.N.C.C. (Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee) Freedom Singers. Dr. Daryl Carter is Associate Dean for Equity & Inclusion for the College of Arts & Sciences at East Tennessee State University, and also serves as director of Black American Studies and a professor of history.

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Alicestyne Turley, Freedom Stories Project Director, who says of this month’s discussion, “We’ve all heard of people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.—these are well-known activists of the Civil Rights era. But how many know that Parks and King and others like Ralph Abernathy attended activist trainings at the Highlander Center in East Tennessee? What would have happened if they hadn’t attended those trainings?”

The live discussion will take place on Saturday May 8th, from 1-2:30 pm EDT on the International Storytelling Center’s Facebook timeline and will be followed by a public Q & A. A Facebook account is not required to participate. The discussion will also be recorded and made available post-event in the Freedom Stories Toolkit.

Freedom Stories is a series that illuminates the underappreciated and neglected stories of African Americans in Appalachian history and highlights the role that face-to-face storytelling has played in both African and Appalachian cultures. Through online events, the project marries performance and discussion, connecting prominent Black storytellers, artists, humanities scholars, and community experts with the public to trace the rich history of African Americans in Appalachia—from the first African arrivals in Appalachia, to the shaping of a distinct culture, to the struggles for freedom and equality.

Kiran Singh Sirah, President of ISC, says these Freedom Stories discussions are important to the region in the context of the national storytelling movement. “Storytelling is certainly entertaining,” says Sirah, “but storytelling is also a means of cultural preservation, it is a peacebuilding tool, it can help facilitate important discussions around difficult topics and help us unpack complex histories…. Just like our nation, Appalachia is a tapestry of stories, and programs and toolkits like this can help us listen more closely and celebrate the rich diversity of our narratives.”

Freedom Stories is funded by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Discussions Grant, an award based on projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life for general audiences. ISC would like to thank the following organizations for their support of the Freedom Stories Project: National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS), Appalachian African American Cultural Center, Black in Appalachia, Black/White Dialogue, Green McAdoo Cultural Center, Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee & Southwest Virginia, Langston Centre, Leadership and Civic Engagement at East Tennessee State University, McKinney Center, Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, and the Town of Jonesborough.

To learn more about the International Storytelling Center and upcoming Freedom Stories programming, please visit www.StorytellingCenter.net/FreedomStories.

Black American Studies
April 26, 2021

Science & Fictions: Cinema in East Tennessee May 14 & 15 via Zoom

An interdisciplinary symposium focused on local topics using film as a catalyst for conversation and action.   

The symposium is composed of three seminars, an asynchronous film screening, a film production skills workshop, and a collaborative film and design workshop.  Science & Fictions: Cinema in East Tennessee employs the interdisciplinary and discursive properties of film and filmmaking to discuss crucial issues for our region, the Appalachian Highlands, at a crucial moment in our history. This event is focused on the hyper-local: artists, researchers, and entrepreneurs from the region will share their insight. Community members will be invited to engage with the symposium and to help develop ideas that will best serve the specific needs of people in East Tennessee. Select experts from outside the region will expand the breadth of the dialogue, connecting the local to the global. 

Black American Studies
April 26, 2021

Remembering Sen. Thelma Harper

Former Tennessee state senator Thelma Harper, D-Nashville, passed away on Thursday, April 22. She was the first black woman to serve in the Tennessee Senate. Beginning in 1989 Sen. Harper served nearly thirty years in the upper chamber. Before her time in the legislature Harper was elected to the Davidson County Executive Committee Woman for the Tennessee Democratic Party. Then she was elected to the Metro Council in Nashville. One of her career highlights came in 2000 when she introduced Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore at the DNC Convention. Members of both parties recognize the late senator for her dedication to her constituents, friendship, and commitment to Tennessee. Black American Studies mourns the loss of the courageous trailblazing woman

Black American Studies
April 19, 2021

Statement concerning Minneapolis Trial

The trial of a former Minneapolis police officer is now entering its final stage. Soon the judge will give the case to the jury. There is a good chance a verdict will be announced later this week. Black American Studies recognizes the gravity of the situation. Further, we are aware of the sensitivities regarding this case. We too are watching closely!

No matter how the jury decides the case we strongly urge all Americans to be peaceful, compassionate, and civil. Violence of any kind is unacceptable and not helpful to the causes of liberty and justice.

Black American Studies
April 19, 2021

Statement concerning passage and signing into law of anti-LGBTQ legislation in Tennessee

The Tennessee state legislature has passed two bills this session which are antithetical to our values. The first bill concerns transgender student-athletes. The law requires student athletes in middle schools and high schools to play on athletic teams which correspond with their sex as determined at birth. Allegedly this bill was required to protect women’s and girl’s sports. The truth is the bill holds out students for ridicule and exclusion.

The second bill the legislature passed has to do with academic work at the K-12 level. The new law will allow parents to opt out of any instruction, without penalty, which might relate to gender and/or sexual orientation. In addition, school districts are required by the new law to inform parents of any teaching concerning orientation and gender. The governor has already signed the former into law. He will sign the latter this week.

The Black American Studies program stands in opposition to these new laws. Young people who identify as being a member of the LGBTQ community have enough nonsense they are forced to deal with from society. They are human beings who deserve dignity and respect. Any action by government which seeks to marginalize one groups seeks to marginalize every group. We encourage the public, faculty, staff, and students to oppose these new laws with non-violence, compassion, empathy, and love. 

Black American Studies
April 19, 2021

The Women’s Studies Program invites you to attend a celebration commemorating 25 years of Women’s Studies on campus at ETSU. Join us on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom for an afternoon of sharing memories and milestones with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members.

Registration is required and can be completed here.

Black American Studies
April 19, 2021

Career Conversations with Alumni

The ETSU National Alumni Association and the Office of University Career Services are partnering to host Career Conversations with Alumni on Wednesday, April 21, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Our guest will be Craig Charles, ETSU Class of 1999.

Craig Charles is a 2006 College of Arts & Sciences graduate with a degree in Mass Communications. Craig is the sole owner of Craigs Crown Cutz and one of two owners of Crown Cutz Academy Johnson City & Crown Cutz Academy Bristol. He is a pillar of the community by reaching out to people in various ways including hosting barbering podcast, a mental health awareness program called The Confess Project, a youth program for underprivileged kids in Johnson City called Rise Up, donating to the homeless community, and coaching his local youth basketball and football teams.

While at ETSU, Craig was a four year letterman in football and was team captain. He also played football with the San Francisco 49ers, Craig says football taught him valuable moral lessons that help him be a leader every day. To register go to: career connections registration Craig Charles  Hope you will join us for this special event!

Black American Studies
April 16, 2021

Diverse Diplomacy Leaders Speakers Series from Georgetown University: A Conversation with Stacey Berg and Kevin Gonzalez

Date: Monday, April 26
Time: 9:00AM - 10:00AM

Join Diverse Diplomacy for a conversation with Diplomatic Security Special Agents Stacey Berg and Kevin Gonzalez.

Stacey Berg is the Legislative Affairs Special Assistant for the Bureau for Diplomatic Security (DS), where she serves as the liaison between Congress and the Department of State for security policy and legislation.  

Kevin O. Gonzalez is the Regional Security Officer (RSO) at the U.S. Embassy in Ireland.  As the senior U.S. law enforcement attaché, Mr. Gonzalez is the principal security and law enforcement advisor to the Ambassador.  He directs embassy security resources, budget, and personnel to facilitate the safe and successful conduct of U.S. diplomacy in Ireland.

They will share insights on their Foreign Service career, their work on diversity and inclusion, and offer advice for a successful career in foreign policy.

You can RSVP for the event here.

Black American Studies
April 12, 2021

THE MICHAEL L. YOUNG AND THE LANGSTON EDUCATION AND ARTS DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

The purpose of the Michael L. Young Scholarship Endowment is to provide scholarship assistance to deserving students who are actively involved in programming at the Langston Centre in Johnson City, TN.   

The endowment is set up to honor the life of Michael L. Young who was an alumni of the last graduating class of Langston High School and served as the chairman of the Langston Education and Arts Development (LEAD) Board of Directors.  The number and amount of scholarships awarded each year will be based on available funds in the endowment operating account.  This scholarship endowment will be housed within the ETSU Multicultural Center.  

ELIGIBILITY 

• Must enroll full-time at ETSU
• Demonstrates outstanding extracurricular involvement and volunteer commitment to the Johnson City/Washington County community and/or Langston Centre
• Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher.

Consider making a gift to this important scholarship!

Donations can be mailed to:

• ETSU Foundation
• P.O. Box 70721
• Johnson City, TN  37614
• Memo:  Michael L. Young Scholarship 

You may also make a donation online at www.etsu.edu/give.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Dessi Ford at 423-439-5125 or forddk@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies
April 9, 2021

Black American Studies
April 8, 2021

Dr. Carter, Director/Black American Studies, has been named Associate Dean for Equity & Inclusion for the College of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Carter will continue to serve as director of the program. He will formally assume his new position on May 1, 2021.

Black American Studies
March 30, 2021

Dr. Carter, Professor of History and Director of Black American Studies, and Dr. Swindle, Assistant Professor of Educational Foundations & Special Education, co-wrote an op-ed that was just published in The Tennessean. Take a look here.

Black American Studies

March 26, 2021

"'We're Still Here': Work, Hope, Dignity, and the Education of the Fields" Lecture from Dr. Eladio Bobadilla

Dr. Bobadilla will present his research conducted during his time as a student at Duke University today at 10:30 via Zoom. This research focuses on the history of undocumented people during the civil rights era. You can find out more information and register for the event here.

Black American Studies

March 25, 2021

ETSU’s Phi Alpha Theta chapter invites students actively involved in or having recently completed research projects in history and related disciplines to participate in our Spring Research Forum, which will be based on the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) format. Presentations should be focused, short, and engaging, should appeal to non-specialists, and should include minimal visual aids. This forum is open to Undergraduate and Graduate students. To register, contact Phi Alpha Theta via social media or our chapter president, Richard Lloyd, directly at zrhl3@etsu.edu no later than April 5.

Black American Studies

March 23, 2021

The 50th anniversary of the passage of the 26th Amendment is having this year. This important legislation, which was passed by Congress on March 23, 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The Congress was responding to political pressure emanating from the conflicts over the war in Vietnam. The States ratified the 26th Amendment on July 1, 1971. This was an important development in the expansion of freedom in the United States.

Africana Studies celebrates the right of all Americans to vote in local, county, state, and federal elections. More than 250 pieces of legislation filed this year in various states are designed to limit access to the ballot. Allegations of voter fraud are not borne out by actual evidence. Often attempts to limit access are designed to prevent Black Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and poor whites from voting. Election laws should not be used to prevent people from voting. It is the job of candidates and political parties to convince voters to vote for them. While we celebrate the 26th Amendment and the expansion of the voting age public it is important to remember democracy requires informs citizens, engagement, and protection of the rights of all Americans.

Black American Studies

March 23, 2021

The Africana Studies program extends its condolences to the victims of the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, yesterday afternoon. These acts of violence must stop. In the past week there has been a number of shootings in the United States. We promote health dialogue between peoples. We promote love and respect for others. Violence is never the answer. Please reach out to your loved ones, neighbors, colleagues, etc. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Seek help when life becomes more than you can bear. If you see something, say something. We are all human beings. No single individual is any better than another. Let us treasure one another and take pride in kindness, reasoned debate, and humility. 

Black American Studies

March 22, 2021

Letter of Support to the Asian-American Community

Dear Appalachian Community,

The Language and Culture Resource Center’s mission is to close the gap between native English speakers of East Tennessee and other languages/cultures. It is with deep sadness that we witness hate crimes happening so close to us such as the recent shootings of Asian American Women that happened in Georgia. With this letter we want to express our support and love for the Asian American community and Asian immigrants who live in the US.We are here for you.

We recognizethat thoughts and prayers are not enough though. It is about time our society begins to react to these hideous events with action. Hence, the LCRC will start a fund raiserinitiativeto help the families of the shooting victimsand any other victims of hate crimesthat happen in the future. In order to do so,in the Fall semester,we will start by organizingtwo events on campus to celebrate Asian languages and cultures. For the first event, we will invite martial arts academies from the area to participate in a free style open martial arts tournament. For the second event we will focus on Asian media, including music, poetry, film, and tv shows (anime included). Any money generated by these events will go to our soon to be created “Love fund.” We hope thatthis initiative will spark action within other institutions in our society. Thank you.

In solidarity,

• Felipe Fiuza, Ph.D.
• Directorof the Language and Culture Resource Center
• Assistant Professor of Spanish

Black American Studies

March 17, 2021

The Africana Studies vehemently rejects and condemns bigotry of any kind against anyone. Over the course of the past year Asian Americans have increasingly been targeted for discrimination, ridicule, and violence. We abhor the dastardly actions of some of our fellow Americans. Asian Americans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They are human beings. Africana Studies asks everyone to stand up for our fellow Americans. Further, if you see, hear, or otherwise learn about abuse directed at Asian Americans, please report it to your local law enforcement agency. Silence is violence!

Black American Studies

March 16, 2021

Africana Studies is proud to offer a special panel discussion during ETSU's Civility Week

“Reflections on a Multiracial Democracy in Northeast Tennessee and Beyond,” a virtual panel discussion examining critical issues related to race, democracy, class, privilege and media facing Northeast Tennessee and the United States. The discussion will take place Tuesday, March 23, at 4 p.m., moderated by Dr. Daryl Carter, ETSU professor of history and director of Africana Studies. Participants include Adam Dickson, ETSU instructor of political science, supervisor of Johnson City’s Langston Center and Jonesborough alderman; Dr. Mimi Perreault, ETSU assistant professor of media and communication; and Dr. Elwood Watson, ETSU professor of history.

Black American Studies

March 16, 2021

Congratulations to Ms. Karlota Contreras-Koterbay! For second year in a row, Slocumb will be receiving award from the Tennessee Association of Museums for their exhibition programming. Please join us tomorrow, March 17, Wednesday at 5 pm ET during the announcement and awarding ceremony via zoom. You can view the ceremony here, and the passcode is  149689.

Black American Studies

March 15, 2021

Statement concerning Vaccine

The Africana Studies strongly urges all faculty, staff, and students, to get the vaccine at the earliest possible date. Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are the three vaccines available in the United States today. All three are considered high effective and very safe by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joseph Biden, and infectious disease experts across the country. It is imperative all Americans get vaccinated to protect themselves against this vicious virus.

Black American Studies

March 12, 2021

Regina Bradley and Aisha Durham are this afternoon’s plenary from 12noon-1PM.  They will be speaking on "Hip Hop, Identity, & the South."    This is a conversation you do not want to miss.  In addition, lots of great panels, a power hour, yoga, a book discussion with Stephanie Y. Evans on Black Women’s Yoga History: Memoirs of Inner Peace (SUNY Press, 2021) and on Saturday, Hil Malatino will be speaking about his newest book, Trans Care (2020). Click here for the conference registration page.

Black American Studies

March 11, 2021

The Southeastern Women's Studies Association (SEWSA) Conference starts today with pre-conference professional development workshops on Academic Leadership, Critical Digital Pedagogies, and Public Scholarship. 

Loretta Ross is this evening's keynote and will be speaking on "Calling in for Reproductive Justice."  This is a public event and free and open to all using the Zoom link below.

The keynote this evening is free.  Registration for the rest of the conference is only $10 for students and on a sliding scale for all others.  Click here for the conference registration page.

Black American Studies

March 9, 2021

Black American Studies

March 2, 2021

Statement on the death of Vernon Jordan

The Africana Studies program is saddened to hear of the death of Mr. Vernon Jordan. He was 85 years old. Mr. Jordan was a Civil Rights leader, former head of the Urban League, high-powered attorney, political titan, and confidant/counselor to presidents, attorneys, members of Congress, corporate leaders, and others. Arguably no other Black man was more responsible for Blacks and women entering corporate America over the last fifty years than Vernon Jordan.

Jordan stood 6’4” and was known for his style, grace, power, and commitment to equality for all. In many ways Mr. Jordan was a throwback to a now by-gone era when power was exercised on the telephone and in the halls of Washington, not on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Jordan knew everyone and was praised for his discretion. Even Republicans highly valued his counsel.

Vernon Jordan first came to prominence in the late 1960s. First, he went to Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government as a fellow. In less than two years Jordan moved on to lead the United Negro College Fund and, upon the death of Whitney Young in 1971, became the head of the Urban League. Over the next decade he picked up Young’s fallen standard and beat the bushes to get Black Americans into business and corporate America.

In May 1980, in Indiana, Jordan was shot by white supremacist Joseph Paul Franklin. He survived and soon left the Urban League. Over the course of the next forty years Vernon Jordan became synonymous with class, grace, integrity, and power. We mourn the death of Mr. Vernon Jordan.

Black American Studies

March 2, 2021

The UNC-Asheville Philosophy Department is excited to invite you to the next installment of its virtual series, Philosophy for Hard Times: A Lens on Contemporary Issues and Events, which will feature Jeremias Zunguze, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at UNCA. The talk will be Friday, March 5 from 3:30-5, and is free and open to the public.  The Zoom link is embedded in the flyer. 

Black American Studies

March 1, 2021

Celebrating Women’s History Month

Africana Studies is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month. We seek to elevate women and the experiences of women throughout history. While women’s history is too often thought of narrowly as white women, Africana Studies seeks to highlight all women regardless of race, ethnicity, social class, immigration status, age, etc. We value the contributions of women to American society. Since President Jimmy Carter created the first Women’s history week in 1980 this celebration has grown into a month-long celebration of women. Women are increasingly surpassing men in education attainment, professional success, and have become central and influential players in politics, academia, entertainment, sports, law, medicine, journalism, writing, science, business and many other areas. Please take time to appreciate the multitude of ways women have impacted your life.

Please take a look at these great websites.

• https://womenshistorymonth.gov/
• https://www.womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month
• https://www.oprahmag.com/life/a26294031/womens-history-month/
• https://www.etsu.edu/cas/litlang/wsp/default.php

Black American Studies

March 1, 2021

Please join us Wednesday at Noon to hear Dr. Constanze Weise (History) discuss her research on “Women and Authority in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century West Africa.” For more information, contact womenstudies@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies

February 25, 2021

The Africana Studies program encourages minors and History majors to consider applying for this scholarship.

Black American Studies

February 25, 2021

The Women of Color Museum

The Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center will feature The Women of Color Museums – Virtual Black History and Black Womens' History exhibits with artifacts dating from the late 1700's to the 21st century on Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 pm. The Museums were established to preserve the history of African American men and women and to educate others of the many great contributions that African Americans have made to mankind. The mission is to instill self-esteem and pride, and to increase knowledge, awareness, cultural sensitivity and understanding for the historic experience of African Americans. These virtual programs will take you through the collections on a journey through the African American experience and the Black Woman's experience and are comprised of over 1000 authentic artifacts including original documents from historic figures such as Booker T. Washington, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Angela Davis, President Barack Obama, and many other great African American men and women. To register for the event, click here.

Black American Studies

February 23, 2021

Statement concerning ETSU Basketball

Last week the East Tennessee State University Men’s Basketball team silently knelt during the playing of the national anthem before a game against UT Chattanooga. Apparently, the student-athletes have silently protested before other games this season. Since local news media has highlighted these events last week much discussion has occurred regarding the actions of our student-athletes. Some people were angry. Others were hurt. Still others were enthusiastic about the young men exercising their 1st Amendment rights.

To our knowledge, these student-athletes did not violate any city or county ordinances. They did not violate any law of the State of Tennessee. There was no violation of federal law. Further, they did not violate ETSU’s student code of conduct policy. In fact, these men did not utter a word. It is not like they stormed the Capitol or attacked law enforcement with an American flag. Simply put, these young men drew attention to issues which have plagued our country for more than 400 years, namely racism and violence toward Black Americans.

The Africana Studies program recognizes and supports our veterans. Anyone who served or is currently serving in uniform deserves our respect and appreciation. But this issue was never about disrespect toward our veterans and servicemembers. According to the Census Bureau there were 18 million veterans between 2000 and 2018. There are more than 330,000,000 people in the United States today. Our servicemembers and veterans are an important part of the social and cultural fabric of this nation. We honor them and their service.

The vast majority of the American people, however, have not served in uniform. They are no less American because they chose different paths for their lives. On the campus of ETSU we have individuals from every walk of life, Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+, native born, immigrant, male, female, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, veteran, etc. We are a kaleidoscope of rich, complex, and fascinating differences. In fact, our demographical differences, as well as political differences, strengthen the campus of ETSU. When one of us is hurt, all of us are hurt. Therefore, the American flag is an important symbol of our nation and people, but the flag itself is not the only thing which makes us patriotic. Dissent is also patriotic!

The reason hundreds or thousands have taken to protesting in the streets is because 1) attention should be drawn to issues which need remedy and 2) traditional methods of registering complaints—calling/writing to elected officials, visiting those in power in private—have failed. Equally distressing, those calls for change have often been met with violence and reactionary measures.

At this important moment the Africana Studies program asks for peace, non-violent activism, understanding, respectful communication, and compassion. This includes with our student-athletes. They are human beings. They are Americans. They are members of the Buccaneer family. We ask only that these young men be treated with dignity and respect. If they are good enough to entertain you on the court, then they are good enough to be treated with respect. We stand with our student-athletes!

• Dr. Daryl A. Carter, Director/Africana Studies & Professor of History
• Dr. Elwood Watson, Professor of History
• Dr. Jean Swindle, Assistant Professor of Educational Foundations & Special Education
• Dr. Jill Leroy-Frazier, Professor of Cross-Disciplinary Studies
• Dr. Phyllis Thompson, Director/Women’s Studies & Associate Professor of Literature & Lang.
• Dr. Felipe Fiuza, Assistant Professor of Literature & Language
• Ms. Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, Director/Slocumb Galleries

Black American Studies

February 23, 2021

Language and Culture Resource Center Newsletter

In this issue of the LCRC Newsletter there is information for the Virtual Corazón Latino Festival, the Stories of Resilience competition, virtual language tables, partnerships with the Langston Centre, grant opportunities, and latest publications/conference participations. You can view the entire newsletter here.

Black American Studies

February 22, 2021

Please join Africana Studies in continuing to celebrate Black History Month with these two upcoming events. Africana Studies minor, Amyre Cain, will be featured in the discussion panel for "#blacklivesmatter & #bluelivesmatter." For more information about both events, please contact mcstaff@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies

February 18, 2021

The Office of Medical Professions Advisement, in conjunction with the Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS), has extended the viewing of the documentary, "Black Men in White Coats". It is available for students and faculty to watch in honor of Black History Month.  The viewing window for the film will close on February 20th, at 7:00 pm. You can find the links to the documentary and the Zoom invitation here.

Black American Studies

February 12, 2021

Appalachian Premodernists: Race and Early Modern Culture Spring Speaker Series

Save the date for the spring lecture series on “Race and Early Modern Culture.” More information on the lecture series will be presented soon.

Dr. Joyce MacDonald (University of Kentucky, Literature), “Making Shakespeare Black” Friday, March 5th, 1 p.m. EST

Dr. Robert Clines (Western Carolina University, History), “The Fair Muslim Maiden and the Economy of Race and Gender in Petrarch’s Africa” Friday, March 26th, 1 p.m. EST

Dr. Arathi Menon (Hamilton College, Art History), “Cosmopolitanisms and Material Religion in Early Modern Kerala.”  Friday, April 16th, 1 p.m. EST

Black American Studies

February 11, 2021

A new HBO documetary explores two centuries of art by African-Americans, and the path they forged for contemporary Black artists. You can read a review by the New York Times here.

Black American Studies

February 9, 2021

Africana Studies is proud to partner with the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center and Black Affairs to present the True Black History Museum virtual artifact presentation and lecture on Monday, February 15 at 7 p.m. You can register for the event here. For more information, contact mcstaff@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies

February 8, 2021

Africana Studies is proud to announce that Ms. Amyre Cain, who is pursuing a minor in Africana Studies, is participating in the Black Students Lead: A National Conference for College Student Leaders this month. This is one of the largest gatherings of Black students to discuss critical issues pertaining to diversity and social justice on campuses across the nation. We congratulate her and thank her for her leadership.

Black American Studies

February 2, 2021

The Department of Media and Communication is looking for participants and "Stories" to showcase - work done by students, faculty, and community members that demonstrate their understanding of climate change and the science behind it in our region. They have developed a "Climate Knowledge and Narratives in Southern Appalachia" survey and are looking to get around 200 more participants before March. You can find more information about the survey, here.

Black American Studies

February 2, 2021

Black American Studies

February 1, 2021

The History of Black History Month

In 1915, Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Less than a year later the Journal of Negro History was founded. Negro History Week came by the 1920s. By 1976 Black History Month had been institutionalized throughout the United States. Eventually, the organization came to be known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

Black History Month is a recognition and celebration of Black America and Black Americans. Every February schools, colleges, universities, institutions, local, state, and federal governments recognize the central fact that there is no American history without Black Americans. From slavery to economics to culture to entertainment to politics to sports to law to medicine to art to literature to the trades to the military, Black Americans have contributed to every aspect and development in the history of the United States.

Over the course of February Africana Studies will be celebrating Black History Month by highlighting events, both on-campus and off-campus, as well as publishing videos from Dr. Carter, director of Africana Studies, about major issues pertaining to the Black American experience. For more information about ASALH please check ASALH here.

Black American Studies

February 1, 2021

Unapologetically Black Presents: Black History Month Kickoff Celebration with Keynote Speaker: Ashlee Henderson. This event will start at 5 p.m. on Monday, February 1st. Join the celebration on Zoom! Meeting ID: 920 7358 4809 | Password: 189402

For more information contact mcstaff@etsu.edu.

The Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center will be hosting an interview series throughout Black History Month. They will be aired every Friday at 12:00 p.m. on the Multicultural Center's Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Website. For more information, contact: mcstaff@etsu.edu.

Featured Guest Speakers

Black American Studies

January 25, 2021

Dr. Carter joins the Johnson City Public Library for a discussion of James Baldwin's Go Tell It on the Mountain. The event will be held over Zoom on Tuesday, February 2 at 6 p.m. You can find more information on the event and how to register, here.

Black American Studies

January 22, 2021

Africana Studies congratulates General Lloyd J. Austin, U.S. Army (ret.), upon confirmation from the U.S. Senate as the 1st African American Secretary of Defense. The Senate confirmed him 93-2. He served 41 years in the Army and led U.S. Central Command.

Black American Studies

January 22, 2021

Africana Studies grieves the loss of Hammerin' Hank Aaron!

The Africana Studies Program extends its deepest condolences upon news of the passing of homerun king Hank Aaron today at the age of 86. In 1974, Aaron hit homerun 715, surpassing Babe Ruth for the most homeruns of all time. His record stood for 33 years until Barry Bonds passed him. In all, Hank Aaron hit 755 homeruns, played 23 years in Major League Baseball, won the NL MVP award in 1957, was a World Series champion, and was a perennial All-Star. During his home run chase he withstood the vicious racism of countless whites angered by the fact he was dethroning Babe Ruth as the greatest home run hitter of all time. In his retirement Hank Aaron remained a beloved figure in Atlanta and a civil rights champion.

Black American Studies

January 20, 2021

Africana Studies congratulations President Biden upon taking the office of oath today. This program is especially excited to celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris, the first African American woman to be sworn into national office.

Black American Studies

January 19, 2021

Africana Studies welcomes all ETSU students back for the spring 2021 semester. 

Black American Studies

January 7, 2021

Africana Studies encourages faculty, staff, students, and the public, to take advantage of the opportunities regionally to support MLK day. Also, Africana Studies encourages everyone to help the Tri-Cities Virtual Food Drive For Second Harvest (December 28-January 18). You can see more information about the event here and how you can donate here.

Black American Studies

January 7, 2021

Statement concerning Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol

The Africana Studies program condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the terroristic acts of roving marauders at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. Violently invading the center of our Republic and democracy is not patriotic, it is an attack on our values, institutions, and country. There is no place for any of these actions in a civilized society. The Africana Studies program is fiercely committed to protest. Protest is as American as apple pie. But what happened at the Capitol was violent, undemocratic, and thuggish. It was an attempted coup. We urge appropriate law enforcement agencies and officials to identify and prosecute those responsible for those horrific acts. Finally, we strongly affirm our commitment to democracy, equality, respect for others and non-violence.

Dr. Daryl A. Carter
Director/Africana Studies
Professor of History
East Tennessee State University

Black American Studies

January 7, 2021

Black American Studies

January 6, 2021

Black American Studies

January 6, 2021

The Africana Studies program congratulates Rev. Raphael Warnock on being elected to the U.S. Senate. He is the first African American elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. Senator-Elect Warnock will be only the 11th African American to serve the august upper house of Congress. His predecessors are:

1. Hiram Revels, R-Mississippi 
2. Blanche K. Bruce, R-Mississippi
3. Edward Brooke, R-Massachusetts 
4. Carol Moseley Braun, D-Illinois 
5. Barack Obama, D-Illinois 
6. Roland Burris, D-Illinois 
7. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina 
8. William Cowan, D-Massachusetts 
9. Cory A. Booker, D-New Jersey
10. Kamala D. Harris, D-California.

Please read about these senators at https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/h_multi_sections_and_teasers/Photo_Exhibit_African_American_Senators.htm

Black American Studies

December 22, 2020

Dr. Daryl Carter has been named the permanent director of the Africana Studies Program. Dr. Carter is a professor of history at East Tennessee State University. He has taught numerous courses and students in the program during his career at ETSU. Currently, Dr. Carter is working on a book length examination of American liberalism, Edward M. Kennedy, and the United States since 1980. 

Black American Studies

December 11, 2020

Africana Studies wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Dr. Carter will be out of the office from December 21, 2020 to January 4, 2021. 

Black American Studies

December 7, 2020

Africana Studies wishes all students good luck on final exams. It has been a long semester. But it is almost over. Stay strong for just a few more days.

Black American Studies

November 19, 2020

Africana Studies wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Please be safe, wear a mask, and show love to everyone.

Black American Studies

November 10, 2020

Statement concerning Historic Election

The Africana Studies program rejoices in the election of the first woman, first African American, first Asian American. Sen. Kamala Harris’ election proves that America is still a place where people came dream big and achieve huge things. The Africana Studies program congratulates President-elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Black American Studies

November 9, 2020

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Substance Use Risk in Rural TN Research Study

If you are 18+, a resident of the 1st Congressional District, currently present in the U.S., and would like to participate in a research study: please click the survey here and read the consent form. This study is open to people in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington Counties.

For more information contact Gracie M. Carter at cartergm@etsu.edu.

Black American Studies

November 2, 2020

Statement concerning Our Civic Duty

The 2020 election will take place tomorrow. Voters across the nation will visit their local polling stations to cast ballots for local, county, state, and federal offices. Every election matters. Elections determine the direction of the nation. But elections are also about values. What do you value? What is important to you? How do local, state, and federal governments impact you?

Since the nation was founded nearly 250 years ago Americans have sacrificed, fought, bled, and died to maintain and expand upon our rights as citizens. This is especially true regarding the right to vote. Every citizen should participate. Africana Studies strongly encourages the following:

1. Every citizen vote.
2. You remain civil and non-violent.
3. You report acts of voter intimidation and/or violence.
4. Love your political opponents.
5. Recognize the humanity of people who are different.
6. You inform yourself on the candidates and issues prior to voting.
7. Bring a fully charged cell phone to record any actions which are negative.

Democracies are fragile. They require great care. Today, we are confronted with such problems as disinformation, lack of public morality, apathy, voter intimidation, voter suppression, citizens who are not properly informed about issues of great concern, and an increasingly fragmented and polarized society. Africana Studies asks all Americans to do their civic duty in a non-violent and responsible manner.

Black American Studies

November 2, 2020

Course Offerings for Spring 2021

Black American Studies

October 16, 2020

Final Days to View the Black Diaspora Exhibition

October 16-17 are the last two days to view the Black Diaspora exhibition at Tipton Gallery. The exhibit will be available to visit today and tomorrow from 5-7 p.m. The New Latinx South exhibitions at Slocumb Galleries are also available to view on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Black American Studies

October 14, 2020

LCRC Sponsored Event with Dr. Paulo Dutra

Tomorrow at 5pm Dr. Paulo Dutra, from University of New Mexico, will talk with us about his research on Machado de Assis focusing on issues of race and identity in Brazil. Machado is Brazil's most celebrated writer. He was the founder and first president of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. During about the first 100 years his scholars accused him of being silent in matters of race and slavery. Dr. Dutra's research focus on unveiling Machado's mixed race and showing how the author approaches race in an ambiguous way very similar to Toni Morrison does in her short story The Recitatif. This event will occur via Zoom, and you can participate via this link.

Black American Studies

October 14, 2020

Tennessee begins early voting today. Africana Studies strongly encourages all eligible and registered voters to vote. Every election carries consequences, both good and bad, which has a profound impact on our country. Make your voice heard. Be strong and courageous!

Black American Studies

October 7, 2020

Dr. Carter kicks off Southern Festival of Books by introducing Ann Patchett and Yaa Gyasi.

Black American Studies

August 27, 2020

Events in Kenosha, Wisconsin

The shooting of Jacob Blake at the hands of police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this past weekend, once again demonstrate the need for greater understanding and reform. Every suspect has constitutional rights. Among those rights is the right to face trial and a jury of one’s peers. It is not acceptable for law enforcement officers to be judge, jury, and executioner. While there are times when officers must use deadly force ideally, it should be rare. For African American men and boys there are too many of these encounters with law enforcement. It needs to stop! Injustice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere.

The Africana Studies program stands in solidarity with peaceful protesters in Wisconsin. We support all those who challenge injustice and inequity through creative and non-violent ways. Every person in this country has the right and expectation to be treated fairly and respectfully by the human instruments of governmental power. Further, we encourage all Americans to exercise points of pressure on those in power, such as peaceful protesting, civic engagement, educational outreach, and, most importantly, voting in local, state, and federal elections for candidates committed to making the United States a safer, more just place.

Black American Studies

August 27, 2020

Black American Studies

August 19, 2020

Celebrating Women & The Vote

Africana Studies proudly celebrates the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. This landmark event should remind all Americans of the importance of the vote. Citizenship was limited when the nation was founded in the late 18th century. Most people were excluded from political power. As time progressed women’s rights were almost entirely focused on white women. But African American women were active and crucial players in the fight for equality. As we celebrate women gaining the right to vote let us also remember women such as Ida B. Wells, Anna J. Cooper, Mary-Ann Shadd Cary, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Mary Church Terrell, Nannie Helen Burroughs, and Daisy Elizabeth Adams Lampkin, among many others, who fought for the right to vote.

The 2020 election is only seventy-five days away. Africana Studies strongly encourages all Americans to register to vote and to cast a ballot in November. Do not let the sacrifices of all those brave and courageous women go to waste.

Black American Studies

August 13, 2020

An Exciting First

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, D-California, has been tapped as the vice presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. She is the first woman of color to serve on a presidential ticket. Her mother was from India and her father is from Jamaica. The Africana Studies program celebrates the nominee for her accomplishment.

Further, Africana Studies promotes inclusion of all peoples in politics. ETSU students, faculty, and staff, should engage in the political process. All should engage the political parties that represent them best. Moreover, it is vitally important that the two major parties embrace and reach out to underrepresented groups and people. The most direct ways to get involved are to register to vote, inform yourself about the issues, and to cast a ballot in November. Here are some key dates for the State of Tennessee.

*More information can be found at https://sos.tn.gov/products/elections/2020-election-calendar

*Also, please look at this important ETSU website: https://www.etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/civicengagement/voterregistration.php

Black American Studies

August 10, 2020

Africana Studies is proud to announce its new partnership with Slocumb Galleries and the Department of Art & Design, as co-sponsor for the 'Black Diaspora: From Africa to Appalachia to Affrilachia - Reclaiming History, Memory, and Place' exhibitions curated by Marie T. Cochran and Lyn Govette.

We encourage everyone to make time to view the exhibitions and attend or watch Zoomcast of the events listed below. Here is the list of events:

Black Diaspora: Reclaiming History, Memory, and Place
August 18 to September 11 at Slocumb Galleries and August 27 to October 9, Tipton Gallery

ArtQuests' with Viola Spells and Jason Flack
August 19, Wednesday, 3pm, at Slocumb Galleries, Virtual via Zoom and Facebook Live

Black Diaspora Panel: Conversations on Race, Education, and Social Justice in Appalachia
September 3, Thursday, 6 pm, Langston Centre and Virtual Zoom & Facebook Live 

Moderator: Mr. Adam Dickson, Director/Langston Centre 

Panelists: 

Dr. Keith Johnson, Vice President, ETSU Office of Equity & Inclusion

Viola Spells, Affrilachian Artists Project

Dr. William Turner, Appalachian Scholar Frank X, Walker, Founder, Affrilachian Poet    

Marie T. Cochran, Founder, Affrilachian Artists Project 

'Red Summer in Knoxville' and 'Expulsion in Erwin' film showing and Q&A with William Isom II, Black in Appalachia 
September 9, Wednesday, 7pm, Virtual Zoom & Facebook Live

Performance by Grammy-nominated musician AmythystKiah
October 2, Friday, 6 pm, Virtual Zoom & Facebook Live

Community Engagement & Youth Mentorship by Jason Flack and Viola Spells
Carver Recreation Center, ETSU Quest for Success, Langston Centre STEAM
Afterschool Program and other regional youth centers

*Events may be viewed via ETSU Slocumb Galleries’ Facebook Live or Zoom on schedule:
https://etsu.zoom.us/myslocumbgalleries