Introducing Africana Studies at MSU

After five years and dozens of meetings with faculty and administrators, the Black Student Union (BSU) will finally see students enrolled in the class they’ve designed. The group proudly celebrated their two-year anniversary in March. Now, LS 191D: Introduction to Africana Studies is available as a diversity-core class within the Liberal Studies program this fall. The class will be the first course at MSU to focus solely on African history. 

The long process of bringing the class to MSU began gaining momentum under the BSU’s leadership in 2018, President Lyla Brown and Vice President Jamelle Phillips. It was continued by current president Anaya Paschal, who helped the union find great support from David Cherry, Associate Dean of the College of Letters and Science, and the Director of Liberal Studies, Dr. Bridget Kevane. Both worked diligently alongside students to make the class a reality. 

Only three classes offered at the university have any focus on Black identity or Africa. One is a 400-level class, which is inaccessible to most students. “This was really concerning to us,” Paschal said, “and seeing as the university hadn’t taken the initiative, we felt we had to.” While history classes like Race and Class in America cover a broad scope of identities and race, the BSU noted how vast the African diaspora is, and felt it needed an entire course dedicated to its study. LS 191D will dive deep into the histories of the Black experience, aiming to expand and enhance conversations about race at MSU. 

Administration and faculty acknowledged the gap in curriculum concerning African studies. MSU spokesman Tracy Ellig said of the BSU’s activism, “We’ve been learning from them and appreciate all that they’ve been bringing to our attention.” Faculty also reported that students attempted to fill that gap nearly 20 years ago, but lacked proper timing and communication. “There was always something missing,” said Paschal. “It had never garnered enough attention or support. Our work proved that there was a need for this class and that students would take courses about Africa if they were so diligently working to make one.”

LS 191D will give students an overview of history in terms of the African diaspora, meaning it will “explore the Black experience wherever it is, be it Africa, South America, the US, or more,” said Paschal. The class will be taught by Jelani Mahiri, a MSU professor who holds a doctorate in sociocultural anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. Since the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd, the BSU hopes that the class will intrigue the interests of people who have recently recognized the need to learn about Black history in particular. 

Anaya Paschal said the introduction of LS 191 “means a great deal” to the BSU and to the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community at MSU. However, BSU treasurer Jess Brito stresses that the next step for the union is to work towards a major or minor focused on African studies. “You can’t have American studies programs without talking about African American history,” said Brito. “We’re not going to be satisfied with one class.” 

The Black Student Union plans to continue improving and expanding the scope of the class’ curriculum. The union is currently working to gain support from the university on their Freedom Pledge, which asks faculty and administration to adhere to anti-racist policies, listen to feedback from BIPOC students and improve campus resources for students of color. The BSU’s new class is available on CatCourse for this fall semester, and is open to all students regardless of major or program.