AAAS History
Timeline
1968
Professor James Gibbs led the committee to establish the Program
1969
AAAS became a degree granting program at Stanford University
1969-1974
Professor St. Clair Drake (Anthropology) became first Chair
Developed curriculum, established Steering Committee
1974-1975
Director: Tom Rhue (Sociology doctoral candidate, under guidance
of Drake)
1976-1979
Director: Professor Sylvia Wynter (Spanish and Portuguese)
Brought in Committee of Black Performing Arts under AAAS
1980-1989
Director: Professor Kennell Jackson (History)
Introduced Lecture Series, revamped curriculum, renovated Harmony House,
established Undergraduate Scholars Program
Director: Professor Horace Porter (English)
Implemented the annual St. Clair Drake Memorial Lecture
1996-1998
Director: Dean Morris A. Graves
Associate Director: Dr. Diann McCants
1997
AAAS became a part of Center for Comparative Studies in Race and
Ethnicity
1998-2005
Director: John R. Rickford (Linguistics)
Associate Director: Vera Grant
Began AAAS Learning Expeditions (South Carolina Sea Islands, Jamaica, Ghana,
and Belize)
2005-2007
Director: Professor Lawrence Bobo (Sociology)
Associate Director: Vera Grant
With Associate Director Vera Grant, he led Learning Expeditions to Paris,
France and Harlem, New York.
2007-Present
Director: Professor Michele Elam (English)
Associate Directosr: Dr. Cheryl Richardson (2008-2009) & Dr. Cheryl Brown (2009-Present)
Introduced “Race Forward,” a 3year initiative to collaborate with fields
of research and teaching that have not historically engaged critical race
studies or where scholars or students of color have been underrepresented. Professor Elam also made dramatic changes to the curriculum for majors and minors.
A Brief History of AAAS
The Program in African and African American Studies (AAAS) at Stanford
University first became a degree granting program in 1969, the first of
such programs at a private university, and the oldest ethnic studies program
at Stanford.
First named the “Program in African and Afro-American Studies,” the interdisciplinary program was formed by a committee headed by Professor James L. Gibbs, Jr. of the Anthropology Department in 1968, and was the direct result of student activism on campus. The assassination of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. on April 4, 1968 sparked a new intensity of student protest at Stanford. Just four days later, members of the Black Student Union (BSU) "took the mic" from provost Richard Lyman at a university wide convocation entitled "Colloquium and Plan for Action: Stanford's Response to White Racism." The BSU issued Ten Demands to the university, including demands to create curriculum relevant to Black students. Demand number nine read:
"That the University become actively engaged in the hiring of minority group faculty members; that an immediate meeting be called for the consideration of faculty recruitment; that necessary and sufficient steps be taken to introduce curriculum relevant for minority group members.” (Stanford Daily, April 9, 1968)
Concerned about having their interests reflected in the classroom, the BSU’s actions were directed at making changes in the intellectual mission of the university as well as in social and cultural domains. The original committee and subsequent directors have been staunchly committed to responding to these demands.
Dr. St.
Clair Drake was the first director (then titled Chairman) of AAAS, brought
in by the original committee led by Professor Gibbs,. Professor Gibbs continued
to be actively involved by serving on the Steering Committee and the Executive
Committee for AAAS, as well as teaching courses in the Program. He was
instrumental in designing the AAAS 105 course which is the introductory
course required for all majors and minors in AAAS.
Dr. St. Clair Drake served as the first Chairperson of the program from 1969-1976. Along with establishing the curriculum of the program and coordinating faculty involvement, Drake developed several student initiated courses such as the Workshop in Community Development; the Workshop in Performing Arts; and the Workshop in Economic and Political Analysis.
Thom Rhue served as Interim Director for two years from 1974-1976 (under the guidance of Dr. Drake) while completing his Ph.D. work in the Sociology of Education and subsequently serving as Acting Assistant Professor of Sociology. Rhue's tenure was during a politically tumultuous time and he worked to keep student participation in the program high. He concentrated his efforts in trying to meet the needs of a diverse student population consisting of students reflecting Nationalist and Marxist perspectives as well as others with more conservative backgrounds.
Dr.
Sylvia Wynter became the next director, serving from 1976-1979. During
her tenure as Chairperson, Professor Wynter brought the Committee on Black
Performing Arts under the umbrella of AAAS. She also introduced additional
courses into the AAAS curriculum.
Dr. Kennell Jackson directed the program
from 1980-1989. Professor Jackson developed the Undergraduate Scholars
Program which paired undergraduates with faculty members to work on specific
research projects. He also implemented a program that brought visiting
scholars to campus to address such themes as Black Popular Culture and
the Black Intelligentsia.
The next chairperson of the program was Dr. Horace
Porter who served from 1990-1995. Professor Porter continued to enhance
the intellectual impact of the program by bringing to campus scholars such
as Geneva Smitherman, Barbara Fielding, and Martin Kilson. He implemented
the annual St. Clair Drake Memorial Lecture. Professor Porter also established
the AAAS Executive Committee, replacing the previous Steering Committee.
Dr. Morris Graves served as director of AAAS for two years
from 1996-1998. Under the directorship of Graves, the African and Afro-American
Studies Majors and Minors Association was developed. He also reorganized
the administration of the 
program to better meet the needs of the students,
which included creating an associate director position. Dr. Diann
McCants served as the first Associate Director.
Dr. John Rickford took over
as the new director of AAAS in the fall of 1998 and worked with Associate
Director Vera Grant 
from 2001. His innovations included the creation of
Learning Expeditions, the Black Book Collection Contest, and Archives of
interviews with lecturers focusing on Black themes.
Dr. Lawrence Bobo
continued to strengthen the curriculum from 2005-2007. With
Associate Director, Vera Grant, he led a Learning Expedition to Paris France.
In 2008, current Director Dr. Michele Elam began “Race Forward,” a university-wide initiative that integrates the critical study of race with studies of faith, the environment and public health. The initiative sparks innovative scholarship, curriculum, and conversations through lecture series and symposia.
