This January the world witnessed and watched the first black president of the United States of America, Barack Obama. But this is not the only historic moment in African-American history this year. Colleges and universities nationwide commemorate the 40th anniversary of Black Studies in the United States with a month-long series of cultural events.

 

Nathan Hare, a socially active professor from San Francisco State University, is the founder of the first Black Studies Program. Since 1969 it became a department. Until 1973, 600 programs and departments were created. Nowadays, the African roots of humanity are striving to be discovered through approximately 200 Black Studies disciplines all around the United States. These courses are supposed to accomplish faculty goals through cultural grounding, academic excellence and social responsibility.

 

David Brunsma, interim assistant director of Black Studies said that the program was made to prepare students to critically understand the experiences of people of African descent in the United States, Africa and the Diaspora.

 

The Legion of Black Collegians was created by undergraduates who were interested in experiencing the total scope of American history at a college that was a truly inclusive institution. With the help of Arvarh Strickland, professor of history, and the Ethnic Minorities Committee, appeared minority representation on committees, the creation of a Black Culture Center, and the establishment of a Black Studies program 39 years ago.

 

The celebration events in February include viewings and discussions of African-American films and a presentation from a critically acclaimed writer, Noliwe Rooks, the associate director of African-American Studies at Princeton University, who will present his book "Back to the Future: Black Studies in the 21st Century."