Director’s Message: Dr. Sharon Austin

Fall 20133

Tradition and Transformation

UF Intersections

African American Studies Program

103 Walker Hall PO Box 118120 Gainesville, FL 32611

Phone: (352) 392-5724 Fax: (352) 294-0007

Email: polssdw@ufl.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Turlington Hall P.O Box 117300 Gainesville FL 32611 P: 352.392.0780 F: 352.392.3584

Inside this issue:

Director’s Message 1

Faculty Spotlight 2

Memorial 3

Memorial 4

Alumni Corner 5

Student Spotlight 6

Emancipation 7

Passing the Torch 8

McNair Scholars 9

BGSO President 10

Opportunity Corner 11

Study Abroad: Paris 12

Study Abroad: Ghana 13

Spring 2014 Schedule 14

Support AFAM 15

Hello and welcome to the fall 2013

African American Studies newslet-

ter. As director of the program, I am

pleased to announce that this is our

45th anniversary at the University of

Florida. We began our celebration

of our anniversary with a panel enti-

tled “Emancipation Betrayed?: The

150th Anniversary of the Emancipa-

tion Proclamation, the 50th Anniver-

sary of the March on Washington,

and the Justice for Trayvon Martin

Movement.” In October, approxi-

mately 80 students attended our very

successful Passing the Torch Career

and Internship Fair. They received

information about the Environment

America, FSU Law Summer for

Undergraduates, Public Policy and

International Affairs, Teach for

America, and White House Intern-

ship Programs. Several of the atten-

dees at the fair have applied for

these and other programs. In this

current installment of the newsletter,

I would like to tell you about our

other exciting activities.

First, we now have 10 students ma-

joring in African American Studies

and 20 who have declared the minor.

One of our majors, Tahiri Jean-

Baptiste will be graduating in May

2014 with a triple major in Anthro-

pology, English, and African Ameri-

can Studies. Our other students have

double majors in African American

Studies and Anthropology, English,

Political Science, Religion, and So-

ciology respectively. Other majors

are solely majoring in African

American Studies. These students

will receive counseling about the

many career opportunities they can

pursue. I would also like to advise

any students who are thinking about

majoring in African American Stud-

ies that they can now receive credit

for an academic internship. I would

be very pleased to assist you in find-

ing the perfect internship for you.

Second, the African American Stud-

ies Program will sponsor its first

study abroad course to Ghana,

West African in June 2014 and

will again offer the African

Americans in Paris course during

spring break 2014. Dr. Patricia

Hilliard-Nunn of the African

American Studies Program will

teach AFA 4905 The Role of

Ghana in the African American

Experience (3 credits) for two

weeks in June 2014 in Accra,

Ghana, West Africa. Students

will learn about the important

role Ghanaians have played in

African American history, life,

culture, and music. They will

also visit several historic sites in

Accra, Kumasi, and the Volta

Region of Ghana. I am teaching

the African Americans in Paris

course (POS 4905 or AFA 4905)

for 2-3 credits in Paris, France

during spring break 2014. Stu-

dents can earn 2 credits for the

class if they do the assigned read-

ings, short papers, and attend the

class sessions and events in Paris.

They can earn 3 credits if they do

these things and write an addi-

tional 15-20 page paper after we

return to UF. Class sessions will

take place for about 2 hours dur-

ing four of the days the class be

in Paris. Students will also be

able to visit several historic sites

such as the Louvre, Eiffel Tower,

Sorbonne University, the Latin

Quarter, etc. For information on

either class, please email me at

polssdw@ufl.edu or Dr. Hilliard-

Nunn at hilliardnunn@ufl.edu.

It is not too late to sign up for

either class.

Third, as part of our year-long

anniversary celebration, we will

be hosting two prominent speak-

ers. On Thursday January 23,

2014, we will host Dr. David J.

Garrow - Research Professor of

History and Law at the Univer-

sity of Pittsburgh and Pulitzer-

Prize winning author of Bearing

the Cross: Martin Luther King,

Jr., and the Southern Christian

Leadership Conference. Dr.

Garrow will give a lecture about

“The Role of Women in the

Montgomery Bus Boycott in the

Ocora of Pugh Hall at 6pm. At

this time, we will show a mini-

documentary that has been de-

veloped by Dr. Hilliard-Nunn on

the history and evolution of the

program. Also on Thursday

February 20, 2014, Dr. Abdul

Alkalimat will give the 2014 Dr.

Ronald Foreman lecture – named

in honor of the first Director of

the African American Studies

Program. His presentation will

take place at 6pm in the Friends

of Music Room. Dr. Alkalimat

is a pioneer of African American

Studies and Professor in African

American Studies and the

Graduate School of Library and

Information Science at the Uni-

versity of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign.

I sincerely hope that you will

enjoy the newsletter and contact

me if you’re interested in receiv-

ing additional information about

our courses,

activities,

major, or

minor.

Volume 7, Issue 1

Dr. Sharon Austin, Director

of the African American

Studies Program

Edited by Vincent Adejumo and Dr. Sharon Austin

Dr. Faye Harrison, Professor of African American Studies and Anthropology is a sociocultural anthropologist who specializes in the study of racial, gender, and class inequali-

ties and the politics that emerge in response to them. She is also interested in the history of ideas, with a particular focus on the scholarly contributions of African Americans and

other African diaspora intellectuals. Dr. Harrison recently received the William R. Jones Most Valuable Mentor award. She was nominated by three McKnight Doctoral Fel-

lows in the Anthropology deparment: Justin Hosbey, Justin Dunnavant, and Brittany Osbourne. Vincent Adejumo, research assistant in the African American Studies program

and editor of this publication recently sat down with Dr. Harrison to reflect on her illustrious career as a professor, academic, , author and editor, and, most importantly, mentor.

In the beginning of the interview, Vincent asked Dr. Harrison to describe her background before coming to the University of Florida in 2004-05 and how it has laid the founda-

tion for her current work. Dr. Harrison: “I was born and raised in Norfolk, a major port city in Virginia. Norfolk, from a historical perspective, is significant because of its

relationship to the West Indies trade within the British Empire. Norfolk was a racially segregated city but was open to the world via the port. As a consequence, there were

many sailors and merchant seamen from different parts of the world on the streets. Being exposed to various people, from around the world stimulated my interest in the

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Faye Harrison

Page 2 UF Intersections

world beyond Virginia and beyond the United States. I later found out

that I was thinking anthropologically. That experience pointed me in

the direction of sociocultural anthropology. After graduating from

high school I attended Brown University and was fortunate to have

professors and mentors who made me feel comfortable and encour-

aged to pursue my interest in becoming a Sociocultural Anthropolo-

gist. Initially I was mentored by George Houston Bass, a protégé of

Langston Hughes. He really encouraged me to seriously pursue

Anthropology I also had an advisor in Anthropology, Louise Lam-

phere, who helped me believe that I could become an Anthropologist

“when I grew up.” I then graduated from Brown and subsequently

attended Stanford University for graduate school. At Stanford, I had a

great supervisory committee and, in particular, was mentored by St.

Clair Drake. who made a major impact on my thinking. I didn’t

realize how great until much later in my career. St. Clair Drake was

trained in anthropology but aligned more with sociology. I was as-

signed to him as an advisee at Stanford during the year right before he

retired. Fortunately, he continued to work with me and other students

during his emeritus years. At Stanford, his joint appointment was in

African and African American studies, as director, and in the sociol-

ogy and anthropology departments. He had an international reputation

for his work as an Africanist and Diaspora scholar. After co-authoring

Black Metropolis, a classic study of Black Chicago, he did his disser-

tation on race relations in Britain. I had never heard of Drake before

going to Stanford mainly because his work was non-canonical; that is

outside the mainstream of the field. . However, I was fortunately

assigned to Drake as a mentee because I had won an international

research fellowship for doing research in London a year after graduat-

ing from Brown. Drake also did research on race relations in Britain,

(Pictured from left to right) Justin Dunnavant, Emily Castillo, Dr. Faye

Harrison and Justin Hosbey

At McKnight Conference meeting in October 2013.

where he become acquainted with African and Caribbean intellectuals there as students or as expatriates. St. Clair Drake

help to found sociology in the University of Ghana at the behest of Kwame Nkrumah. At Stanford he taught a course on

race and power in the Caribbean which had a significant impact on how I have studied the Diaspora. St. Clair Drake

always spoke about the Diaspora, and his whole life revolved around the Diaspora and by activist intellectuals, many of

them preachers like his father, who was an international organizer for Marcus Garvey. This background is one of the many

reasons why he as an activist scholar. I have reclaimed people like Drake and their scholarship, which is interdisciplinary

rather than easily fitting in the boundaries of any single field. Some of the work I do in the history of anthropology is in

good part because of St. Clair Drake’s mentorship. Since I graduated from Stanford I have continued to work in Jamaica,

where I did my dissertation research in political anthropology, off and on for the past 30 years. My research has also taken

me to a few other places. Here at UF, I created a course on Black American and Black Atlantic Thought which reflects

my interest in the subject of diasporic and global politics. The conversations that Drake and I had regarding the politics of

anthropology, including decision making concerning funding was instructive. Drake himself had been denied many

opportunities within the anthropology establishment due to his race and advocacy approach . Vincent Adejumo: How did the mentorship of St. Clair Drake help you mentor students today?

Dr. Faye Harrison: St. Clair Drake’s mentorship was instrumental in helping me put into perspective the academic poli-

tics of race and gender. He also was very personable and communicated with students largely through his griot style of

storytelling. As for my personal approach to mentoring, I believe in doing unto others as you’d like them to do unto you.

The students I mentor are from various ethnic backgrounds. My expectations are very high, which is why I stress to

students, especially those of color, that they have to be well prepared. If they do substandard work the significance will be

magnified with implications for how students of color are perceived. I am very passionate about what we do in the Afri-

can-American studies program. I believe in cultivating relationships to build a critical learning community that includes

faculty and students. I consider myself to be a lifelong student who learns from the students I mentor. That sense of mutu-

ality affects how I mentor them. I welcome the opportunity to stretch and learn things that are not in my discipline in

order to be of assistance to students. My approach is to deal not only with the student as a scholar but to nurture the whole

person. From this approach, all of the students I mentor feel a sense of community with each other. This is exemplified by

their collaborating on projects that are beyond the curriculum. I have become the figure head in the middle. A lot of my

mentoring is presiding and advising over the projects that they lead. Whatever I do, it must be working because I was

nominated by students for the McKnight mentorship award. I was the only award recipient who was nominated by stu-

dents who were not new Ph.D.’s; in fact, two of the three were not even doctoral candidates yet. I am very pleased that I

was selected by those students (Justin Dunnavant, Brittany Osbourne, Justin Hosbey). I was very inspired by the award

ceremony and will take that positive feedback into my mentoring and advising of other students.

Dr. William Edward

Nelson, Jr. passed

away on May 16,

2013. He was profes-

sor in both the De-

partment of Political

Science and the De-

partment of African

American and African

Studies at the Ohio

State University,

where he served as

chair from 1972 to

1986. Dr. Nelson offi-

cially retired from

Ohio State in 2009

after 40 years of dis-

tinguished service at

the university and

also served as presi-

dent of the National

Conference of Black

Political Scientists,

president of the Af-

rican Heritage Stud-

ies Association, and

chair of the Na-

tional Council for

Black Studies and

vice president of the

American Political

Science Associa-

tion. Not only was Dr.

Nelson a pioneer of

African American

Studies in the

United States, but

was one of the pre-

eminent scholars of

African American

politics. At Ohio

State, he assisted in

the creation and de-

velopment of Ohio

State’s Department

In Memory of Dr. William Edward Nelson Jr

Page 3 Tradition and Transformation

of African American and African Studies. He

also was responsible for the department’s

American and African Studies Community Ex-

tension Center in Columbus, Ohio that allowed

community residents to have greater access to

the university and assisted in the recruitment

of disadvantaged students. As a mentor, Professor Nelson worked tire-

lessly to support and mentor doctoral students

in the discipline of political science, resulting

in the department becoming one of the leading

producers of African American PhDs. He also

served as a mentor to Dr. Sharon Austin

throughout her academic career. Austin cred-

its Nelson for being the greatest influence on

her in her role as a mentor for undergraduate

and graduate students. Dr. Nelson was not

only a mentor, but a friend to all of his stu-

dents and colleagues.

Dr. William Nelson Jr., Professor in Department of

Political Science and African Studies at Ohio State University

Dr. Nelson Addresses Students at Ohio State Uni-

versity early in career

Dr. Alan C. Petigny, an affiliate faculty member of the African American

Studies Program and Associate Professor of History at UF as well as

member of Phi Beta Kappa, passed away on Sept. 24, 2013 at the age of

48 in Gainesville. He was born in Queens, NY, July 5, 1965 and grew up

in New York, Ontario, Canada and Paris, France before moving to

Tampa, Florida in 1981.

Professor Petigny, the son of West Indian immigrants, earned a bachelor’s

degree at the University of South Florida where he graduated with honors

in 1992. He later worked as a policy analyst for the U.S. Congress Joint

Economic Committee before returning to graduate school at Brown Uni-

versity where he earned a doctorate in History in 2003. Alan joined the

history faculty at UF in 2000. In 2009, Cambridge University Press pub-

lished his influential first book, The Permissive Society America, 1941-

1965. In 2010, he was awarded tenure and promotion.

Dr. Petigny taught popular classes on American social and intellectual history, the 1950s and the 1960s. Alan

embraced life fully, deriving great satisfaction from surprising and delighting others, challenging a worthy op-

ponent in a game of racquetball, and teaching and mentoring students. He is remembered as a loving and de-

voted son, beloved brother and uncle, cherished friend and esteemed professor. His impressive accomplish-

In Memory of Dr. Alan C. Petigny Memorial

Page 4

In Memory of Dr. Hanes Walton Jr.

Dr. Hanes Walton Jr., a Professor of Political Science at the University

of Michigan, Ann Arbor passed away in January 2013 at the age of 72.

Professor Walton also was a research professor at the Center for Politi-

cal Studies at Michigan and one of the nation’s most prolific scholars of

African American Politics. Walton was born in Augusta, Ga., on Sept. 25, 1941, and was educated

in the public schools of Athens, Ga., where he graduated with honors in

1959. He attended Morehouse College, majoring in political science

and graduating in 1963. He then received a Master of Arts degree from

Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) and was the first doc-

torate in government at Howard University in 1967. He is a member of

Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha, and received several other aca-

demic awards. Walton accepted an appointment at the University of

Michigan in 1992 after teaching for several years at Savannah State College and Atlanta University. Professor

Walton wrote several books on black politics including "Invisible Politics: Black Political Behavior, American

Political Parties," "The Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King. Jr.," "When the Marching Stopped: The

Politics of Civil Rights Regulatory Agencies," "Presidential Elections, 1789-2008," and the two-volume work,

"The African American Electorate: A Statistical History." He was a gifted teacher who was known for his ex-

traordinary knowledge of politics, but also for his humor and compassion for his students. In addition, many

African American political scientists were influenced by Professor Walton’s teaching and research skills. He

spent countless hours writing letters so that they could receive tenure and promotion at universities, edited sev-

eral manuscripts for young scholars, and gave them an abundant amount of advice about navigating the aca-

demic process. He will be missed, but his legacy will forever live on.

Emmanuel Agbeko

Gamor graduated as

a University of Flor-

ida Presidential

Scholar with a

Bachelor in Arts in

Political Science

and Minor in Lead-

ership in 2009. As a

Ronald E. McNair

scholar, Emmanuel

Gamor received

several honors and

awards as an under-

graduate at the Uni-

versity of Florida. In

addition to Florida

Blue Key, he served

on the University of

Florida Homecom-

ing Committee, as a

member of the 2007

Preview Staff, on

the J. Wayne Reitz

Union Board of

Managers, as Presi-

dent of Esquire and

Polaris of the

Gamma Omicron

chapter of Iota Phi

Theta Fraternity,

Inc.

Briefly after gradua-

tion, he worked his

way to becoming

the managing editor of a

community newspaper in

the Washington Metro

area. In 2012, he perma-

nently relocated to Ghana

and was lead video &

photo reporter for Ghana

Decides, a non-partisan

social media project to

cover Ghana’s presidential

elections; and his photog-

raphy blog was nominated

in the “Best Photo Blog”

category by the Blogging

Ghana association at the

Ghana Social Media

Awards in March 2013.

Emmanuel currently

works as a business devel-

opment executive and

multimedia journalist with

Global Media Alliance.

He is the co-host of a ra-

dio program, MPwr

(pronounced em*pow*er)

in Ghana, West Africa,

which engages young Af-

rican leaders in weekly

discussions, highlighting

their successes, sharing

their challenges, and fos-

tering positive habits

among this generation of

change-makers and the

next. Mr. Gamor is also

assisting Dr. Hilliard-Nunn

with the Role of Ghana in

the African American Ex-

perience course that will be

offered in June 2014. Ac-

cording to Mr. Gamor,

“Professors in the African

American Studies courses at

UF were timely mentors in

helping shed light on my Af-

rican heritage in the Ameri-

can and African American

context. Their insight during

my research thesis, in-class

discussions and beyond have

been instrumental in shaping

the person I am today and

the impact I get to have back

home on the African conti-

nent and beyond.”

Alumni Corner: Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

Page 5 Tradition and Transformation

Faculty Profile

Tahiri Jean-Baptiste, 4th

year African American Stud-

ies, English, and Anthropol-

ogy major at the University

of Florida and have had a

significant impact on the

student body at UF and

greater Gainesville commu-

nity since she has enrolled.

Tahiri emigrated from Haiti

to the United States (Palm

Beach, South Florida) in

2002 at the age of nine. Af-

ter graduating from high

school, she enrolled in the

University of Florida in Fall

2010 and immediately be-

came involved with the UF

and Gainesville community

by becoming a Teaching As-

sistant at Bucholtz High

School and becoming in-

volved with the Department

of Languages and Culture.

Since her freshmen year, Ta-

hiri has been actively in-

volved as a student leader:

she has an served as an

Assistant Director of the

Diversity Dance Show-

case, a student mentor for

University Minority men-

tors, and as a Senior Am-

bassador at the UF Insti-

tute of Black Culture. She

chose to major in African

American studies because

she has been able to apply

the lessons and skills ac-

quired while matriculating

through the program to so-

cial, personal, profes-

sional, and academic as-

pects of her life. Addition-

ally, because of the classes

that she has taken for the

major she has acquired a

better understanding of the

inter-social relations of the

citizens of this country.

She posits that African

American studies instructs

its students on the intrica-

cies of critical thinking;

that the nameless, hidden,

and marginalized variables

that form American soci-

ety are thoroughly ex-

plored, celebrated, and cri-

tiqued. She also believes

that the discipline provides

students with valuable his-

tories—integral to under-

standing 21st century

America—that have been

lost to us over the years.

Tahiri is now and forever

thankful for the opportu-

nity to study alongside

the experienced faculty

that the program has to

offer. Tahiri states “I am

graduating in the spring

and I fully intend to con-

tinue my Black Studies

education at the graduate

level. Upon graduating I

will be taking the year

off to gain some work

experience. I will then

pursue a Doctoral degree

in Education Psychology,

primarily focusing on

how structural con-

straints and individual

agency dynamics influ-

ence Black students in

the K-12 classroom. I

fervently believe that

education is this society’s

best strategy for socio-

political equality so I aim

to do everything in my

power to help educate

our black and brown

youth.”

Student Spotlight: Tahiri Jean-Baptiste

Page 6

Emancipation Betrayed? The 150th

Anniversary of the Emancipation

Proclamation, the 50th Anniversary

of the March on Washington, and

the Justice for Trayvon Martin

Movement took place on September

9th in Smather’s Library Room 1A.

Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn

served as a moderator for the

event, introducing Dr. Zo-

horah Simmons, Dr. Paul

Ortiz, and two members of

the Dream Defenders organi-

zation, Nailah Summers and

Shamile Louis. Dr. Zoharrah

Simmons presented on her

experience as a member of

the Student Nonviolent Coor-

dinating Committee in the

early 60’s. From her presenta-

tion, the audience learned a

great deal about the various

disagreements between SNCC

and the Southern Leadership

Conference surrounding the

’63 March on Washington

and the role of women during

the civil rights movement era.

Dr. Paul Ortiz presented on

the history of slavery in Flor-

ida and its effects that it still

has today. Lastly, Nailah and

Shamile presented on their

experience in the Trayvon

Martin case and how they

camped out at the capital of

Florida to convince state rep-

resentatives to address the

stand your ground law. From

their presenatation, the audi-

ence learned that during the

period of them camping out in

the capital, the Dream De-

fenders held numerous work-

Emancipation Betrayed? The 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation

Proclamation, the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, and the Justice

for Trayvon Martin Movement

Page 7 Tradition and Transformation

shops and made many connections

to expand their cause. Dream De-

fender’s current project involves

addressing the school to prison

pipeline and bringing awareness to

the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr.

Page 7

Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn, Moderator Dr. Zoharah Simmons, Dr. Paul Ortiz, Nailah

Summers, and Shamile Louis

Dr. Paul Ortiz Dr. Zoharah Simmons

Nailah Summers, Dream Defenders Audience of 100+

Page 8 UF Intersections

On Monday October 21st at 6pm in Little Hall room 113, the

African American Studies Program hosted a career and intern-

ship information session. Representatives from Environment

America, the Public Policy and International Affairs Program,

the Summer for Undergraduates Program at Florida State Uni-

versity School of Law, Teach for America, and the White

House Internship Program were present to provide informa-

tion to students about career and internship opportunities. The

Environment America program hires college graduates with

the passion, the commitment, and the talent to stand up to

polluting industries and fight for a green future to join our

Fellowship Program. he Public Policy and International Af-

fairs Program (PPIA) is a national program that prepares

young adults for an advanced degree and ultimately for ca-

reers and influential roles serving the public good. The 2014

Summer for Undergraduates Program will take place May 19

through June 12, 2014. During the four-week program, stu-

dents are engaged in activities covering classroom experience,

law school admissions process, and careers in the law. Teach

for America’s mission is to "eliminate educational inequity by

enlisting high-achieving recent college graduates and profes-

sionals to teach" for at least two years in low-income commu-

nities throughout the United States. The White House Intern-

ship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable

professional experience and build leadership skills. This hands

-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young

leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office

and prepare them for future public service opportunities. For

more information regarding these programs contact Dr.

Sharon Austin at polssdw@ufl.edu

Passing the Torch

Annual Dr. Ronald C. Forman Lecture Spring 2014

Panel on “Trouble the Water” featuring Dr. Sharon Austin

On February 20th , 2014 at 6 PM in the Friends of Music Room, the African American Studies

program will host the Dr. Ronald C. Forman Lecture series. This year’s lecture will feature

Abdul Alkalimat, Professor of African American Studies and the Graduate School of Library

and Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research inter-

ests include: digital inequality, community informatics, and African American intellectual his-

tory. He moderates the largest African-American Studies discussion list, H-Afro-Am, and cre-

ated and edits Malcolm X: A Research Site as well as eBlack Studies

On January 15th at 2:30 PM in Uslter Hall, Dr. Sharon Austin will be featured on a

panel along with Professor Barbara Mennel, and Professor Churchill Roberts dis-

cussing “Trouble the Water” with Academy award winning producer Tia Lessen.

Lessin also co-produced several of Michael Moore's films, including Capitalism: A

Love Story, Fahrenheit 9/11, and Bowling for Columbine. Lessen will then host a

public screening for “Trouble the Water” at 6:00 PM in Pugh that same day.

Meet McNair Scholar Danisha Baro, a

junior double-majoring in Psychology

and African American Studies. Danisha

is investigating the relationship be-

tween stress and spirituality among

Black students at predominantly White

institutions with guidance from her

McNair faculty mentors, Dr. Joseph

McNamara and Dr. Patricia Hilliard-

Nunn. Danisha is an “old soul” who

enjoys reading and learning about Afri-

can American organizations and histori-

cal events. She is an OAS mentor and

also involved with Dream Defenders;

Women of Respect, Achievement, Per-

severance and Service (WRAPS); the

Gator Chapter of the NAACP, and IM-

PACT Autism. Danisha plans to pursue

both a master’s and Ph.D. in counseling

psychology. She would ultimately like

to be a university professor and con-

tinue research on African American

culture. Funded by the

U.S. Department of

Education, the Ronald

E. McNair Post-

Baccalaureate

Achievement Program

is one of several TRIO family programs that

assists students from low-income/first-

generation and underrepresented minority back-

grounds during their progress through the aca-

demic pipeline. The McNair Scholars Program

prepares outstanding undergraduates for pursuit

of a doctoral degree by providing mentoring,

paid research experience, academic training,

peer support, and travel opportunities. McNair

has been funded at the University of Florida

since 1995 and has successfully produced schol-

ars who have gone on to earn doctoral degrees

for almost 20 years. The program is accepting

applications for the 2014-2015 cohort through

January 31, 2014. Students who are interested in

getting involved in undergraduate research and

are committed to pursuing a Ph.D. after gradua-

tion are encouraged to apply. More information

is available on the website: http://

mcnair.aa.ufl.edu.

McNair Scholars Spotlight: Danisha Baro

Page 9 UF Intersections

McNair Scholar Danisha Baro presenting her research at the McNair Open House in November 2013.

McNair Scholars Sherin Merchant, Brittany Hibbert, Andrea Hernandez,

Danisha Baro and Adrian Paneto at the SAEOPP McNair Research Schol-

ars Conference in Atlanta, GA in July 2013.

Greetings from the Black

Graduate Student Organi-

zation (BGSO)! My name is Jaron Jones

and I serve as the current

president for BGSO. Our

organization assists Black

graduate and professional

students foster meaningful

and lasting relationships

that aid in academic

achievement and success.

We also provide mentor-

ship and graduate develop-

ment opportunities for un-

dergraduate students as

well. Founded in 1985 by

graduate and professional

students at the University

of Florida, BGSO was cre-

ated to provide a

comfortable social,

academic, and cul-

tural outlet for

Black graduate and

professional stu-

dents on a pre-

dominately white

campus. Our pre-

mier program is

the University of

Florida’s Martin

Luther King Week

celebration. BGSO

began the tradition

of inviting lumi-

naries to the Uni-

versity of Florida

to deliver keynote

addresses based on

the legacy of Dr.

King in 1985. The

university has

since partnered

with us to create a

week of events in

Gainesville in the

spirit of Dr. King.

To this day, BGSO

continues to pro-

vide many oppor-

tunities for gradu-

ate and profes-

sional students of

African, Carib-

bean, and African-

American descent to net-

work with each other and

become involved at UF and

in the surrounding commu-

nity. We currently meet

every third Thursday of the

month at 7:00p.m. at the In-

stitute of Black Culture

(IBC). During our monthly

meetings, we disseminate

valuable information about

campus and community

events and enjoy lectures

and presentations from fel-

low graduate students, pro-

fessionals, and academics.

Refreshments are served

and all are welcome. In the

spring semester, we will be

offering additional social

and development opportuni-

ties for our members. If you would like more in-

formation, please visit our

Collegiate Link Site: https://

ufl.collegiatelink.net/

organization/bgso/ We can also be found on

Facebook at: https://

www.facebook.com/groups/

bgsouf/

Jaron Jones, President of UF Black Graduate Student Organization

Page 10 Tradition and Transformation

Page 11 Tradition and Transformation

.“The Blueprint” is a 12-week enhancement program at the Uni-

versity of Florida designed to aid African American males in various

aspects of collegiate development. The program focuses on helping

the young men achieve success in six identified areas: academics,

peer/ professional etiquette, spiritual growth, physical, emotional,

and mental well-being. The participants are required to attend

weekly meetings/ workshops that address the identified areas.

They are also required to do projects outside of weekly meetings

to show evidence of applying and retaining information learned

from the six areas of success. Each session is interactive and facili-

tated by different professionals. The participants will have the op-

portunity to interact with various professionals from the campus

and local community at large. The incentive that drives their en-

gagement in the program is a $1000 scholarship and the purchase

of a business suit. The scholarship is awarded to the individual male

who demonstrates the most significant development during the

course of the program. The ultimate goals are multi-faceted and encompass several com-

ponents to ensure the success of the program and the students.

The first goal is to garner self-efficacy for the young men and to

help them assimilate effectively into the collegiate environ-

ment. Secondly, is to connect the campus and various depart-

ments in the success of the students. And finally, to teach general

skills necessary for professional success, i.e.

time management, goal setting, financial prepar-

edness, and general etiquette and language skills. For more information, see the Institute of Black

Culture’s website: http://

ibc.multicultural.ufl.edu/programs_services/

cultural_educational/the_blueprint/. Or, contact Ms. Veleashia “Vee” Smith, Direc-

tor, Institute of Black Culture, 1510 W. Univer-

sity Ave., Gainesville, FL 32603, 352-392-1217 x.

252, VeeS@multicultural.ufl.edu

Opportunity Corner: The Blue Print

The Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Programs Fellowships

The goal of the PPIA Fellowship Program is to help students achieve a Master’s or joint degree, typically in public policy,

public administration, international affairs or a related field. The organization does this through the intensive study provided

by participation in a Junior Summer Institute (JSI), through partnerships with universities across the country, and through an

alumni network that provides opportunities to connect with nearly 4000 individuals who share the same interest in public

service.

Each year, PPIA seeks out high-potential undergraduate students from universities across the country to participate in an

intensive seven-week Junior Summer Institute (JSI) before their senior year. During their program, fellows are equipped with

the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in graduate school and ultimately, in influential roles serving the public

good.

Once a student has successfully completed their JSI, they join an alumni network of nearly 4,000 leaders. In addition to the

opportunities that this network provides for mentoring and career development, our alumni network has the opportunity to

receive financial support for their graduate school education if they attend one of the programs in our Graduate School Con-

sortium

Unpaid Internships

The Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program offers unpaid internships in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. These intern-

ships are open to undergraduate Juniors and Seniors and graduate students. These internships are an excellent opportunity to gain sub-

stantial professional experience, engage with prominent leaders from across the country, and gain valuable experience with an entrepre-

neurial, mission-driven organization. Ideal candidates will be motivated self-starters with strong communication skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of

a team. We expect interns to be available to work at least 10 hours/week but we are willing to be flexible with how these hours are

divided. Strong candidates for this position will have outstanding research skills and the ability to synthesize, classify and analyze col-

lected data. This position offers an opportunity to get an inside look at what it takes to develop and manage dynamic programs.

To Apply: Candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to ppia.office@ppiaprogram.org.

Tradition and Transformation

African-Americans in Paris Study Abroad

Page 12

The African Americans in Paris course will explore the African American presence in Paris. Students will receive information

about three groups of Black Americans who have traveled to Paris: 1) political persons, 2) academics, and 3) culture bear-

ers. Drs. Sharon Austin and Patricia Hilliard-Nunn will escort students to several historic sites in Paris where these individu-

als lived and worked. The class will participate in seminars in Paris that will be conducted by Professor Sharon Austin and by

French professors. Students will also have some free time to explore Paris on their own, do not have to speak French in

order to participate, will receive two academic credits (with an option to receive an additional independent study credit if they

complete a research paper), and can use their financial aid for many of their expenses. Our excursions will include a tour of

the Le Vesinet (the town that Josephine Baker lived in), the African and North African district of Goutte d’Or which is famous

for its market, the Assemblée Nationale (Parliament of Paris), the Eiffel Tower, the Sorbonne University and the Latin Quar-

ter, the Black Art exhibits at the Lou- vre, and the first African American commu-

nity in Paris in the Montmartre district. We will also participate in the James Bald-

win in Paris tour and take a Cruise of River Seine. The Cost for the Course is

$2117 for undergraduates and $2232 for graduate students. This includes: Ac-

commodation in double rooms in cen- trally located hotel (breakfast included),

One group welcome dinner and one group farewell dinner, Visits to cultural &

academic sites, Ground transportation on all activities, Paris metro pass, On-site

cultural and safety orientation, Pre- departure materials, Computer and internet

access at API Center. This fee does not include:, Airfare, Luggage fees, Medical

and life insurance, Personal expenses (e.g. passport fees, souvenirs, laundry,

etc.). A description of the “Blacks in Paris” tour is as follows: We meet at a

quaint restaurant on the Champs Elysees for your Black Paris Orientation!

We then stroll to the Arc de Triomphe where Stevenson tells of the first great

wave of African Americans coming to Paris in the 1800s. She describes the ex-

ploits of Black soldiers who distin- guished themselves on French battle fields

during World Wars I and II. We see where Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hem-

ings came together in 1787, the begin- ning of a 38 year relationship. A short bus

ride takes us to a world famous con- cert hall where celebrated African American

singers and jazz musicians per- formed…from Louis Armstrong, to Duke

Ellington and from Miles Davis to Jessye Norman. Another short bus ride

drops us at beautiful Parc Monceau to follow in the footsteps of Frederick Doug-

lass, Dr. W.E.B. Dubois, Henry O. Tanner, Mary Church Terrell, Ida B. Wells, Carter G. Woodson,Countee Cullen, Bessie

Coleman, Langston Hughes, and Mary McCloud Bethune. We stroll two blocks to stand before the monument recognizing

France’s abolition of the African slave trade and recalling the exploits of Napoleon’s most famous Black general. Steps away,

another statue is dedicated to the General’s son, Alexandre Dumas-the most famous French writer in history. A third statue,

recalls the literary achievements of his son, the dramatist, Alexandre Dumas. With the Haitian Embassy overlooking this

square, you’ll hear the story of Toussaint L’Ouverture, who led the successful 1791 revolt, making Haiti the first free Black

Republic in the new world. Another bus takes us past the building where author Dumas lived, then past the church dedicated

to the African Saint Augustine — a founder of the Catholic Church! Next we’ll see the Church where Josephine Baker was

given a state funeral April 15th, 1975. We’ll pause at Place Concorde where the guillotine took the heads of thousands during

the French Revolution, and where the US Embassy is headquartered. Place Concorde is home to the oldest monument in

Paris today, the African Obelisk-an astronomical device used to chart the skies at the Temple of Thebes in Luxor. If time per-

mits, we’ll hop another bus that will take us to fashion’s Ave Montaigne and the theatre where Josephine Baker exploded on

stage in “La Revue Negre” in 1925 and where she opened her second “Chez Josephine” nightclub in 1937.

Study Abroad in Ghana, Summer 2014

Page 13 Tradition and Transformation

Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn will travel to Ghana and teach this

two-week course. This course will introduce students to the

Ghanaian origins and connections to the African American

experience. Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, is one of several

West African countries from which enslaved Africans were

shipped during the transatlantic slave trade. Since then, the

United States and Ghana has been linked via politics, art, cul-

ture, business, the tourism industry and more. Kwame

Nkrumah, who became Ghana’s first president after winning

independence from English colonial rule in 1957, studied in

the United States and famous and regular African Americans as diverse as W.E.B. DuBois, Louis

Armstrong, Richard Wright, Pauline Murray, Malcolm X, Maya Angelou have visited and/or moved

to the country to work. Students will explore these and other themes related to African Americans and

Ghana through their own disciplines. Students will complete class readings. Class sessions will con-

sist of cultural enrichment trips to key Ghanaian sites of interest, lectures, discussions, exercises, film

screenings, and hands on workshops. Course assignments will include: Attend class sessions at UF

and in Ghana. Students will be graded on attendance and participation. Keep a trip journal in any form

that you wish. Be sure to date your entries as you note, describe and reflect upon each day’s activities.

Turn in 1) a 6-8 page double-spaced reflection essay of your journal and 2) The actual journal as an

addendum to the essay. Turn in a hard copy to the professor in 211 Walker Hall-UF on June 27, 2014.

Write a research proposal (due on June 16). Write an 8-10 page research paper (must have at least 6

references, due to Dr. Hilliard-Nunn on June 26). The itinerary will entail a class meeting on March

24th in (location TBA); April 21st Ghanaian History and Cultures; Monday June 2nd Pre-departure

lecture; Monday June 9th Depart for Ghana; Tuesday June 10th Arrival and Welcome Dinner;

Wednesday June 11th Visit Independence Square: Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah Memorial

Park, National Museum/Mausoleum, lunch, Visit an Artisan’s Guild and Market, Tour the Dr. W.E.B.

DuBois Memorial; Thursday June 12th Lecture by Drs. Jacob and Barbara McDade-Gordon, African

Dance and Drum Workshop at the University of Ghana; Friday June 13th Trip to the Hohoe and

Volta region to visit Wli water falls and tropical rain forest and the Agumatse River; Saturday June

14th Class, Travel to Kumasi to visit a bead making facility at Odumasi Krobo – Bonwire, tour of the

Ntonso Adinkrah Craftsmen; Sunday June 15th Class, Walk through the Kumasi Central Market

(Kejetia) - the largest open-air market in West Africa, tour the Ashanti Kingdom and the Manhyia Pal-

ace Museum, tour the Ghanaian National Cultural Center, home to Primpeh II Jubilee Museum and

the Okomfo Anokye Sword. It includes a variety of work spaces which feature woodcarving, ceram-

ics, kente weaving and adinkrah printing; Monday June 16th Class, Visit the Donkor Nsuo (The

Slave River) at Assin Manso; Tuesday June 17th Tour the Elmina Dungeon & Museum; Wednesday

June 18th Tour of the Cape Coast Dungeon. Panel Discussion: This panel will include members of

the African American Expatriate community in Ghana at the Cape Coast University Campus; Thurs-

day June 19th Class, Visit the Kakum National Park, Drive through: Village of Abandz, the ancestral

home of Louis Armstrong, View the Movie Pray the Devil Back to Hell, tour the Liberia Refugee

Camp; Friday June 20th Speak with the elders and others in the town. Visit an elementary school.

Share stories with the children. Interact with the children; Saturday June 21st Exploration, Research,

Shopping. Trip reflections – debriefing and Farewell Banquet; Sunday June 22nd Departure

Page 14 UF Intersections

Spring 2014 AFAM Schedule

Course Sect Cred Day(s) Period Bldg Room Course Title &

Textbook(s) Instructor(s)

AFA 2000 02CE 3 WEB INTR AFRICAN

AMER STU

Adejumo,Vincen

E

AFA 2000 2517 3 T 4 NRN 0331 INTR AFRICAN

AMER STU

Nunn,Patricia

Hilliard

R 4-5 NRN 0331

AFA 3240 07G9 3 T 4 MAT 0011 THE AFRICAN

DIASPORA Harrison,Faye V

R 4-5 MAT 0108

AFA 3332 07G7 3 T 7 FAC 0127 BLK FEMIN/

WOMAN THRY Harrison,Faye V

R 7-8 FAC 0127

AFA 3354 1229 3 M 8-9 FLI 0105 RACE AND RE-

LIGION

Sim-

mons,Gwendolyn

Delores

W 9 FLI 0105

AFA 3356 1232 3 T 8-9 AND 0134 AFRICAN AMER

RELIGION

Sim-

mons,Gwendolyn

Delores

R 9 AND 0134

AFA 3930 04CE 3 M W F 5 MCCB 1108 HAITIAN CUL-

TURE & SOC

Heb-

blethwaite,Benja

min John

AFA 3930 07AG 3 M W F 4 LIT 0221 INTER HAITIAN

CREO 2

Heb-

blethwaite,Benja

min John

AFA 3930 084B 3 M W F 1 LEI 0207 RACE & LAW

CONSTIT

Stafford,Samuel

P

AFA 3930 1C04 3 T 5-6 TUR 2349 HIP HOP SEX-

UAL POLIT Hosbey,Justin T

R 6 TUR 2349

AFA 3930 1110 3 M W F 4 TUR 2333 THE SLAVE

NARRATIVE

McIlvoy,Karen

Elizabeth

AFA 3930 1296 3 T 6-8 RNK 0225 BLACKS IN

FILMS

Nunn,Patricia

Hilliard

AFA 3930 17G1 3 W 7-9 TUR 2318 VIRGIL HAW-

KINS STAFF

AFA 4905 07AD 2 TBA AFR AMER IN

PARIS

Austin,Sharon

Denise

AFA 4905 1G25 3 TBA GHANA AFR AMER EXPER

Nunn,Patricia

Hilliard

AFA 4905 DEPT 1 TBA PARIS ADD

RESEARCH STAFF

AFA 4931 01AF 3 M 3-5 TUR 2336 AFR AMER

WOMEN CULTUR

King,Debra

Walker

AFA 4931 02E3 3 M 9-11 TUR 1101 WOMEN WRIT-

ING RACE

King,Debra

Walker

AFA 4931 12F7 3 W 7-9 FLI 0113 RACE LABOR

WMN AUTOBI Allukian,Kristin F

AFA 4931 13HC 3 R 8-10 MAT 0002 RACE GENDER

POLITICS

Austin,Sharon

Denise

AFA 4931 14G1 3 T 9-11 NRN 0166 RACE CULT & CLASSROOM

Acosta,Melanie

Moore

AFA 4937 164F 3 TBA AFRICAN-AM SEN SEM 2

Nunn,Patricia

Hilliard

AFA 4937 6867 3 W 3-5 FLI 0113 AFRICAN-AM SEN SEM 2

Nunn,Patricia

Hilliard

AFA 4940 DEPT 3 TBA AF AM. INTERN-

SHIP

Austin,Sharon

Denise

Page 15 UF Intersections

Support the African American Studies

The African American Studies Program at the University of Florida depends upon gifts

from alumni and friends to fund student and faculty travel, research, and lecture series.

If you would like to support the program, please consider making your gift today. The

University of Florida Foundation, Inc. is the steward of all private support of the Univer-

sity of Florida. You can give online to The African American Studies Program Fund which makes it

possible for the program to engage in extracurricular activities that promote community

building and public programming. Private sources of funding increase our capacity for

creating a supportive environment for interactions among students, faculty, and the

wider community. Designate African American Studies account F008477. One way to offer a specific contribution is to support the Harry Shaw Travel Fund which

will make it possible for students to travel for research and conference presenta-

tions. Designate African American Studies and list F016689 to build this account. The James Haskins Visiting Scholar Fellowship Endowment Fund honors the memory

of the late James Haskins (1941-2005), a former University of Florida Professor of Eng-

lish and a distinguished writer who interpreted the African American experience. In well

over 100 books, he exposed children and youth readers to the biographies of leading Af-

rican Americans and key aspects of Black culture, social history, and contemporary life.

The scope of his writings also extended beyond Black America to other parts of the

world. The James Haskins Visiting Scholar Fellowship Endowment Fund provides the

critical resources needed to enable African American Studies to host emerging and es-

tablished scholars with research interests that complement some aspect of the scholarly

agenda of faculty within the program. The African American Studies account code to

build this fund is F013759/013760. You may also make a gift of cash, appreciated stocks and bonds, real estate, and

through various planned giving opportunities through the college of Liberal Arts and

Sciences Development and Alumni Affairs office. For more information, please contact

Christy Popwell, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs (352) 215-5636

or cpopwell@ufl.edu

Thank you for supporting our stability and growth!

Purchase your University of Florida African-American Studies Program T-Shirt Today

The African-American Studies Program is now selling T-Shirts! T-Shirts are 15$ and are available

for purchase at 104 Walker Hall between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Shirts can be pur-

chased via cash or check. The check can be made to UF African American Studies Program. We

will also be at the Multicultural Recruitment Fair on April 3rd from 10-2 in the Reitz Union Col-

onnade selling shirts and distributing more information regarding the newly approved Major.