Testimonials

“My professors carefully designed courses to demonstrate to us the diversity in black life across the globe—from Africa and Latin America to Europe. They taught me that the black experience was by no means homogeneous and that each experience should be studied carefully. This realization made me value my own unique story as a young African immigrant from Cape Verde.
– Terza Lima-Neves ’00, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and Chair of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N.C.

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“By challenging conventional history and ‘wisdom,’ black studies taught me to look at things from other viewpoints and perspectives. Not only has that helped me to be a better and more compassionate human being, but it has raised my awareness in social situations. It has helped me respect diversity, become a better listener, challenge the norms, and tackle projects from different angles.”
– Jaclyn Kramer ’09, Stewardship Coordinator, West Point Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy.

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“Being a black studies minor, you not only learn about the black experience, but you learn about other races that have been disenfranchised. As a political science major interested in urban politics, I was able to learn more about the relationship between politics and African-Americans.”
– Kershny Gedeon ’10, graduate student in public administration, Suffolk University, Boston, Mass.

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“My Black Studies coursework exposed me to a more systemic perspective, allowing me to understand the human experience as existing within and impacted by structures. This led me to a career in clinical social work and informs my work with clients daily, all these years later.”
-Patrick Hagan ’08

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“I believe [my minor in Black Studies] has [helped me post-grad]. I am a lawyer in New York City, so on a very frequent basis I interact with people from a wide array of backgrounds, cultures, races and ethnicities, particularly in depositions and in jury trials. Many people have only a rudimentary knowledge of the Black diaspora, and just assume that it’s a homogenous experience.”
– Michael O’Brien ’99