A Message from the Chair

Dr. Zebulon Miletsky pictured in the Richard B. Moore Library

Throughout the 2025-2026 academic year The Africana Studies Department at Stony Brook University has continued authoring their esteemed legacy as an invaluable anchor to the campus community, standing as a paragon of academic excellence through the exhibition of unparalleled commitment to rigorous scholarship, transformative pedagogy, and epistemic growth. Africana Studies, not only remains a paramount site for intellectual advancement, but is an embodiment of more than prestigious education alone- it has emerged as beacon of community, culture, innovation, and liberation, while consistently reflecting the unwavering dedication the department has for expanding student engagement with Black Studies while simultaneously building a space where students feel supported, safe, and seen. The Africana Studies Department transcends the confines of traditional academic discourse, signifying that not all knowledge is available in a book- Black history, thought, culture and experiences are not just to be studied, but are to be lived, retained, and honored. This past school year, The Africana Studies faculty and students have exhibited the revolutionary visions, struggles and passion that are a requirement in establishing and nurturing Black Studies, both upon the discipline's induction to campus in 1968, and in its enduring impacts in 2026. In September of 2025, The Africana Studies Department started the fall semester with an event that acted as a beautiful personification of the Akan principle of Sankofa by commemorating the first generation of Black Learners at Stony Brook, who turned struggle into change. As they revisited campus, the student body was able to honor those who laid the foundation for contemporary Africana Studies, while also learning a prolific lesson that teaches how memory can become movement, and how movement can, and will drive change. One month later on October 29th, The Africana Studies Department held an amazing open house in the Richard B. Moore library, inviting students of all majors to come together in learning what Africana Studies is, and why it is a crucial area of study, and core subject. This event featured many aspects that sparked the interest in a multitude of students, this included insightful presentations to introduce The Africana Studies Department’s faculty, important information on how to become a major or minor, interactive games, complimentary refreshments, and most essentially, it was a wonderful opportunity to build community with faculty and students alike. In November of the fall semester, an event honoring the legacy of June Jordan was organized by a devoted and principled professor of Africana Studies, Dr. Abena Asare. This event, “On Call: June Jordan, Palestine & the Black Radical Tradition at Stony Book,” was an enlightening and engaging symposium that both commemorated the great impact of June Jordan’s work, as well as contextualized how her timeless work speaks to all struggles against oppression- from Turtle Island to Palestine, no one is free until we are all free.

After returning from winter break, the spring 2026 semester was equally illustrative of the departmental goals of prioritizing, uplifting, and expanding The Africana Studies discipline. This semester started with a profound acknowledgement of a monumental milestone that shaped all american history: the 100 year anniversary of the beginnings of Black History Month. The Black History Month Opening Ceremony commenced on February 4th, and featured two accomplished and influential Africana Studies professors as keynote speakers, Dr. Jazmen Moore and Dr. Jarrett Martin Drake, both of whom made powerful and impactful speeches highlighting a full century of Black History Month celebrations that displayed remembrance, resistance, scholarship and legacy. February was full of events hosted by The Africana Studies Department to honor the lasting contributions of Black Americans throughout the globe, which featured a screening of a documentary detailing the life and influence of Frederick Douglass, Black History Trivia Night, an event centering the joys and struggles of Black Childhood titled, Soundtrack for Black Childhood, and finally, The Black History Month Closing Ceremony, a celebration to recognize the importance of this month, as well as address the necessity for Black History to be understood as synonymous to world history, and therefore must uplifted, celebrated, and taught all year around. In early April, the brilliant and esteemed civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, was invited to Stony Brook to speak, sign, and answer questions regarding his New York Times Bestseller, Worse Than a Lie. This event was a great opportunity to learn from someone who works tirelessly to bring legal justice in the aftermath of egregious human rights violations; hearing his story was extremely impactful, and reflective of the department’s teachings to use education as a tool to bring about tangible changes in the ongoing, collective struggle for Black American Liberation. On April 16th, The Africana Studies Department held a roundtable event in partnership with Stony Brook’s DICE office titled, A Retrospective for Dr. Annie Mae Walker. Dr. Walker was the founding chair of Africana Studies at Stony Brook in 1968, and her leadership was groundbreaking in shaping the intellectual and institutional foundations of Black Studies- at Stony Brook and Beyond. At the end of the month, a brand new student organization proudly introduced themselves to student life with an exuberant and bustling opening event. After six months of hard work, dedication, and burning passion, The Africana Studies Society kicked off their first campus event with an impressive launch party that welcomed 90+ attendees, and was met with overwhelming support, kindness, and interest by faculty, students and community members alike. The Africana Studies Society is a student-led academic society that is dedicated, driven, and relentless in their goals to bring the utmost visibility, respect, and exposure to Black Study, while also heavily focusing on community-building, creating pathways for equitable education, advocating for prison abolition, and providing free and adequate education, resources, and guidance to youth through various initiatives that have been meticulously created over the last half of a year. This organization was brought forth by two undergraduate students of Africana Studies, Meloseri Dumnoi and Angelina Mancini, and could not have been accomplished without the unwavering support of their faculty sponsor, Dr. Jarrett Marin Drake. The launch party was highly successful, the president, Adejumoke Ademiluyi, vice president,

Angelina Mancini, secretary, Matthew Bediako, and treasurer, Prisca Boadu worked alongside the rest of the groups amazing members to put on an event that centered Africana Studies, promoted intellectual growth, and showed the joy of learning to the campus community, while encouraging their peers to join them in this journey. Finally, May 23rd marked a bittersweet day for The Africana Studies Department... graduation! The outstanding achievements of the 2026 Africana Studies Graduates were celebrated, and the dedication, resilience, and leadership they have demonstrated throughout their individual academic journeys was honored in a heartfelt graduation ceremony. The recipients of the two Africana Studies Scholarships were also announced during the ceremony, The Richard B. Moore scholarship was awarded to Adejumoke Ademiluyi, and The Bliss Verdon award was received by Angelina Mancini. Massive congratulations to The Africana Studies Class of 2026- all of these students deserve ample praise for their contributions to this department and the university alike. All these graduates should be beyond proud of their achievements, and we would like to congratulate the following students for their enormous an impressive accolades and accomplishments: Matthew Bediako, Jahsaiah Burgess, Renee Darius, Meloseri Dumnoi, Destiny Gbor, Isabella Kutruf, Makayla Liverpool, Diana Moreno, Damilola Oseni, and Kayla Simpkins! These students have all displayed the utmost scholarship, dedication, and passion; they will all be dearly missed as they embark on a new chapter of their lives, and we are confident all of the graduates will move forward into new opportunities that embody the spirit of critical inquiry, community engagement, social justice and intellectual excellence that define Africana Studies. The qualitative assessment of the impact of this generous award was evident in the words spoken at our commencement ceremony about many of the students listed here. It is clear that these students would not have had the impact they had without this award. We are all grateful for this grant and excited to see the impacts they will all continue to make in their communities, professions, and the revolutionary changes and legacies they will imprint on the world. We certainly intend to repeat the activity/program next year in the same or a modified form. It is our hope that continued funding can be provided to sustain these efforts.