African & African American
Studies at Stanford
The Program in African and African American Studies (AAAS), established in 1969, was the first ethnic studies program developed at Stanford University, and the first African & African American Studies program at a private institution in the U.S. AAAS provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of peoples of African descent as a central component of all societies, offering courses that promote research across departmental boundaries.
African & African American Studies
Building 360, Room 362B
Stanford, CA 94305-2084
Dr. H. Samy Alim
Director of AAAS
Professor of Education
Director of Center for Race, Ethnicity and Language (CREAL)
Address: Building 360, Room 362C
Dr. Cheryl A. Brown
Associate Director of AAAS
College Director, Freshmen Sophomore College (FroSoCo)
Address: Building 360, Room 362A
Program Administrator for AAAS
Address: Building 360, Room 362B
It has developed an extensive and dedicated network of Stanford scholars who work in race studies and works in concert with the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE). Scholarship can focus on critical intersectionality with gender, class, region, religion and other variables, and thus works closely with other ethnic programs and allied fields of study—from International Relations to Political Science, and from Feminist Studies to Sociology. AAAS also encourages students to use interdisciplinary methods drawn from anthropology, art, art history, economics, languages, linguistics and literature, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, and religion, among others.
Our Symbol is a Sankofa:
The bird of our program's representation is the Asante People of Ghana's Adinkra symbol called Sankofa. It symbolizes taking from the past what is good and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress through the benevolent use of knowledge.