Intellectual Genealogy of Black Studies in the United States

Session Submission Type: Media Session

Abstract

Black Studies: An Intellectual Genealogy" is a documentary film that takes viewers on a journey through the rich and complex intellectual history of Black Studies as an academic discipline in the United States. Through insightful and candid interviews with renowned scholars and thought leaders in the field, including Nathan Hare, Molefi Asante, Maulana Karenga, John Bracey, Sundiata Chu Ja, Leslie Alexander, and many others, the film sheds light on the origins, challenges, and transformative impact of Black Studies.

The film begins by tracing the origins of Black Studies to the scholarship and activism of such luminaries as David Walker, Martin Delaney, W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, Lorenzo Turner, and others. The documentary continues the narrative of the intellectual journey and evolution of Black Studies from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s to tumultuous 1960’s and the struggle Black power.

As the documentary unfolds, viewers are introduced to key figures and pivotal moments in the development of Black Studies. Interviews with key figures like Jimmy Garrett and Nathan Hare, who helped established one of the first Black Studies programs in the country, provide firsthand accounts of the struggles and triumphs that marked the early years of the discipline. The documentary doesn't shy away from addressing the challenges and controversies that have sometimes surrounded Black Studies. It candidly explores debates about the canon, cultural authenticity, and the role of Black Studies as a liberatory project. Through these discussions, viewers gain a nuanced understanding of the origins and ongoing evolution of the field.

Sub Unit

• Social & Behavioral Science Research

Chair

• Dr. Shawn Utsey, Virginia Commonwealth University

Discussants

• Sundiata Cha Jua, University of Illinois, Urbana

• Grace Gipson, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Tiffany Caesar, San Francisco State University