MSU opens new space for African American and African Studies department

EAST LANSING — The dedication of the new learning space for the Department of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University Thursday was the culmination of 25 years of planning, associate dean of undergraduate education Glenn Chambers said.

The African American and African Studies program was created in 2002 and established as a department in 2019. The department focuses Black feminism, and gender and sexuality studies. It began offering degrees and minors earlier this year.

Thursday's dedication event served as a celebration of Black culture and a sigh of relief for those involved in the more than two decades-long efforts to form the department within the College of Arts and Letters.

“After so much effort by so many people, this is the strongest sign I have seen in my time here at MSU that, yes, we are serious about being whole," said Christopher Long, dean of the College of Arts and Letters. "That we will take on the responsibility that comes with being healthy.”

Ruth Nichole Brown, inaugural chairperson of the department, said her work and that of her colleagues will leave a lasting impact on MSU’s campus and community.

“This is a dream come true,” she said. “This is only possible because Black struggle, Black joy and those who we know are yet to come.”

The department’s 8,400-square-foot space on the second floor North Kedzie Hall includes offices, a lounge, dance studio and recording booth.

Thursday's celebration began with a cleansing offered by Candace Pizzo, owner of Oracle's Apothecary. Pizzo said she used a combination of bells and offerings to ancestors to remove "toxic or stagnant energy" from the space.

MORE: A new Black studies program at Michigan State focuses on gender, sexuality, diaspora

Jabbar Bennett, vice president and chief diversity officer of the department, said Black studies “change and save lives.”

He also praised the program for offering, “a different type of enlightenment and education, a different type of understanding, a different type of taking action, and hopefully resulting in different outcomes — better outcomes.”

Contact Sheldon Krause at skrause@lsj.com. Follow hin on Twitter @sheldonjkrause.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State opens space for African American and African Studies department