Board approves degree in African American studies

A new bachelor’s degree in African American studies – the first to be offered at a public university in Connecticut – was approved recently by the Board of Trustees.

The major will provide interdisciplinary coursework in art and art history, dramatic arts, history, music, political science, psychology, and sociology, provided by more than a dozen faculty members – 10 of whom hold joint appointments in the Institute for African American Studies.

The degree program, to be headed by Jeffrey Ogbar, associate professor of history and director of the Institute, will allow students to study the history, culture, contributions, and experiences of people of African descent in the United States and abroad.

“As a nation, we continue to struggle with the notion of how race, as a social and historical construct, has shaped our world,” Ogbar says.

“African Americans have made enormous contributions to this nation, yet many of them have not realized the American dream.

“Clearly, understanding why and how that exclusion of African Americans from mainstream America occurs requires both a comprehensive perspective and a sound knowledge of the African American experience. That is what we will provide in this major.”