In 1994, Charles E. Jones began his tenure as the founding chair of Georgia State University’s Department of African American Studies, which was established in response to demands from Black students following a 1992 sit-in. The students called for the creation of the department after a racial slur was discovered on a trash can near a fraternity house, igniting a two-day protest that prompted change at the university.

Jones recalled that when he arrived at Georgia State in 1994, there were no dedicated Africana Studies faculty, and the department offered only four courses focused on people of African descent.

“I was tasked with developing an Africana Studies Department from scratch, from designing the curriculum to hiring faculty and getting courses approved,” Jones said. “I used the platform of the National Council for Black Studies, which advocates for two foundational pillars undergirding the discipline of Black Studies: academic excellence and social responsibility.”

Jones envisioned a department that would offer students a robust liberal arts education while fostering deep ties with Atlanta’s community organizations. Students who enrolled in the department’s introductory course fulfilled a 15-hour service learning requirement by volunteering with local nonprofits. The department also hosted lectures and panels that encouraged community engagement.

“We wanted to show the versatility of Africana Studies,” Jones said. “If a student wanted to go into journalism, for example, they could major in Africana Studies or combine it with another major or minor. We wanted to debunk the myth that you can’t do anything with an Africana Studies degree.”

Over the last 30 years, graduates from the Africana Studies Department have proven just that. Alumni have gone on to successful careers in government, law, public health, finance, nonprofit organizations, art, education and more.

Jocilyn Gilbert (M.A. ’18), who serves as a legislative director for U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said her Africana Studies degree shaped her approach to policy, helping her understand global perspectives.

“My degree fostered a curiosity to understand other perspectives,” Gilbert said.

Now a health equity officer for Aetna Better Health, alumnus Shaan Trotter (B.A. ’00) emphasized how the program gave him the tools to collaborate effectively in addressing public health issues.

“The department gave me the foundational skills I needed,” Trotter said, referring to his work supporting underserved communities.

Through the years, the department has built a broad community of supporters who have helped create more opportunities for future scholars. Among them is Georgia State alumna Kimberly Hixon, who in 2011 established the department’s first scholarship, the Lucille Adams Scholarship in African American Studies.

That same year, Akinyele K. Umoja became the department’s second chair and continued to champion the pillars of academic excellence and social responsibility.

“We train our graduates to be strong professionals while also making valuable contributions to their communities,” Umoja said. “Our students are active citizens, committed to supporting community efforts and becoming better human beings.”

The department has flourished since its early days, launching a bachelor’s degree program in 1998, followed by the addition of a master’s degree in 2008 and a graduate certificate more recently.

Georgia State has emerged as one of the top Africana Studies degree-producing programs in the nation, and it is the only department of its kind in the University System of Georgia.

The department is now home to 10 core faculty members and more than 20 affiliates across a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology; education; history; political science; public health; sociology; women’s, gender and sexuality studies; the fine arts and many others.

Africana Studies faculty are recognized for their seminal research in areas such as Black political movements, African diasporic histories, social justice and public health disparities. They have authored influential books, published in leading academic journals, received grants for groundbreaking research and hosted national conferences. This year, two faculty members were featured in Emmy Award- winning documentaries.

In 2021, the department was officially renamed the Department of Africana Studies, reflecting its expanded mission to study and teach about the experiences of people of African descent across the globe, from Africa to the United States and throughout the African diaspora.

Jonathan Gayles became the department’s third and current chair in 2019. Soon after his appointment, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education worldwide, and protests erupted in the U.S. following the killing of George Floyd.

“If I was to identify an accomplishment as chair, it would be encouraging us to fight to remain in the community despite all of these disruptions,” Gayles said.

Looking to the future, Gayles is focused on implementing the department’s comprehensive action plan. This includes strengthening partnerships with Perimeter College and outside institutions to increase exposure to Africana Studies, improving time-to-graduation rates and expanding community engagement initiatives. The department also aims to increase its major and minor enrollments.

“We’ve come a long way, but we’re still striving for more,” Gayles said. “Our goal is to continue building on our strengths, fostering academic excellence and deepening our commitment to social responsibility.”

This month, Atlanta’s city council honored the Department of Africana Studies with a proclamation for thirty years of city, national and global service.

“We’re proud to have been recognized by the city of Atlanta. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead to make an even greater impact on our students and the broader Atlanta community,” Gayles said.

To learn more about Georgia State University’s Africana Studies programs and how the department has evolved over the last 30 years, visit: https://africana.gsu.edu/.

Feature photo by Raven Schley and the Georgia State Signal

Originally published at the university News Hub here.