Collections : [James Madison University]

This panel discussion documents the institutional history of JMU's AAAD Studies program through the perspectives of founding faculty members, covering several key themes. The founding of AAAD Studies traces its origins to 1980s student-led initiatives that called for Black-centered curricula, with Dr. Jacqueline Walker detailing her 1976 arrival at Madison College, where she developed early African American history courses. Dr. David Owusu-Ansah recounts the collaborative efforts across departments to secure federal grants for African Studies, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary partnerships with art history, political science, and English. Faculty also reflect on the pedagogical challenges of teaching Africana content to predominantly white student bodies; Dr. Steven Reich discusses his approach to dismantling racialized medical biases through historical analysis, while Dr. Melinda Adams highlights her use of African novels in political science courses to counter Eurocentric scholarship. Additionally, Dr. Walker and Dr. Owusu-Ansah analyze retention strategies for BIPOC faculty, noting that JMU has relied more on interpersonal networks than on structural reforms for support. The panel further critiques JMU's fraught relationship with Harrisonburg's Black communities, with Dr. Reich acknowledging the resistance to archiving local Black history.

Records an interview with Adebayo Ogundipe, who discusses his academic and personal experiences at James Madison University and the intersections between international student life and Black identity on campus. The interview documents his perspectives as a member of the campus community engaged with Black spaces and Africana studies, focusing on cultural identity, academic experiences, and community involvement. Discusses how international students from the African diaspora navigate predominantly white institutional settings, participate in academic programs and student organizations, and contribute to evolving conversations about Black identity and community at JMU.

Records an interview with Alyssa Elliott, a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., who discusses her experiences with the African American Divine Nine organizations at James Madison University. The interview documents her perspectives on differences between Panhellenic and historically Black Greek letter organizations, the role of the Center for Multicultural Student Services as a safe and affirming space, and ongoing challenges related to Greek housing, visibility, and institutional support for Black Greek organizations. Discusses her sorority's commitment "to bridge the gap" by building connections across communities and addresses broader questions of representation, inclusion, and campus climate for students of the global majority.