It is with great pride that the Wayne State University Department of African American Studies invites you to celebrate the 35^th anniversary of the “study-in” that led to the creation of the Department of African American Studies.

Please join us for two special events. On April 12, we will honor the student and community leaders who transformed Wayne State University with their activism, commitment, and vision. On April 13, we will elevate and fortify the legacy of Black studies on our campus and nationwide.

On April 13, 1989, in the tradition of the Black Liberation Movement, African American students launched a “study-in” protest. They occupied the Helen Newberry Joy Student Services Center for 11 days and issued 17 demands, including a degree-granting Black studies department. Their negotiations resulted in the creation of the Department of Africana Studies in 1990.

Reception

The Wayne State Department of African American Studies will recognize the students who participated in the 1989 protest. We will honor four individuals with a Black Studies Lifetime Service Award.

Please RSVP to the evening reception by Friday, Apr. 5, 2024.

History

Attacks on Black history education throughout the country issue a clarion call. They illuminate the need for an academic discipline centering on people of African descent. The good news? Wayne State University’s Department of African American Studies is thriving with 12 full-time faculty members and six part-time instructors. This is an ideal time to acknowledge and elevate the transformative legacy and power of African American Studies on our campus and beyond.

Courageous student protestors created the change our campus needed. Now, our department is stronger than ever. We can’t wait to honor this legacy with you!