Princeton University is one step closer to offering an undergraduate major in African-American studies.
Last week, the faculty at the Ivy League school voted to departmentalize the Center for African American Studies (CAAS), which has granted undergraduate and graduate certificates since 2006.
“When we formed as a center, it was in the documents that we would reconsider and take up the issue of departmentalization five years out,” said Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., the William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies and the chair of the Center for African American Studies at Princeton. “One of the most important aspects of this moment is that Princeton has made African-American studies an essential part of the education of its students. It’s been a long time coming, but we are here.”
The faculty vote comes nearly three years after an external review of the center, which was led by Dr. Deborah McDowell, the Alice Griffin Professor of English and director of the Carter G. Woodson Center at the University of Virginia. McDowell and two other members of the committee recommended that the center be converted into a department and that the university begin offering a major.
Princeton’s Board of Trustees still has to approve the measure.
Currently, CAAS has 15 professors, with most of its faculty holding joint appointments with other academic departments such as history, English and political science. Four faculty, including Drs. Imani Perry, Naomi Murakawa, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Ruha Benjamin, have full-time teaching appointments in the center.
“We are hiring still,” said Glaude. “People have talked about the departures, but we’ve been able to put together a young cohort of scholars. It’s not about the superstars; it’s about the work. And it’s exciting the see the work happening here.”
