Celebrating the African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center

In Fall 2022, JMU welcomed a new director of the African, African American, and Diaspora (AAAD) Studies Center, Delores B. Phillips, PhD, who has her faculty appointment as a tenured associate professor of english. “It was the welcome I received in my first Africana Studies Workshop that cemented my commitment to AAAD,” Phillips said. “Since then, I’ve learned of the wealth of AAAD’s activities at and beyond JMU and immediately wanted to contribute to its wide-ranging network of courses, study abroad opportunities, conferences, workshops, sister universities, and JMU faculty, staff, students and community members.”

AAAD provides to the JMU community a wealth of interdisciplinary knowledge, programming and initiatives related to Black peoples, histories, cultures, languages, economics, philosophies, ideas and socio-political structures. It is built on the principle of effective interdepartmental cooperation, particularly regarding core curriculum courses on Africa and the African Diaspora. With over 65 affiliated faculty members drawn from a variety of departments and disciplines across campus, AAAD is a force on JMU’s campus.

The next AAAD event is almost here — every February, the program hosts scholars from across the world and across the humanities, social sciences, STEM, the arts and business, as well as artists and activists at its Annual African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Interdisciplinary Conference. The event offers an energizing opportunity for cross- and inter-disciplinary research exchange, debates and networking. This year’s conference, which takes place February 14-17, 2023, is organized around the themes of “Roots, Limbs, and Leaves” and will use a hybrid format to allow in-person and virtual participation and attendance.