The Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) in the College of Arts and Letters, established in 2019, exemplifies the university’s commitment to build strength in areas that advance equity, ethics and social justice. AAAS, which began with a PhD offering in 2002 and added a minor in 2014, today is developing a visionary new curriculum at both graduate and undergraduate levels, including a new undergraduate major.
Through strategic hiring, the department is building strength in gender and sexuality studies and Black feminist approaches — emphases often lacking at other institutions. The program is attracting top scholars in Black Cultures and Institutions, Black Girlhood Studies and Black Speculative Ecologies, positioning MSU as a leader in Black Studies and the department as an active change agent pursuing well-being for all Black people.