April 14th 2024.
On April 12, Wayne State University had a special occasion to commemorate the establishment of its Department of African American Studies and the significant protests that led to its creation. The day after recognizing the students who participated in the 1989 study-in, the university organized a luncheon to honor the 10-day-long demonstration. It was a momentous event that marked the birth of the Department of African American Studies at the university.
According to a report by Today At Wayne, the protest involved a group of students taking over the Helen Newberry Joy Library, which sparked a powerful movement that gained support from the entire city. Eventually, this led to the establishment of the Department of African American Studies at the university. Ollie Johnson, Ph.D., the current chairperson of the department, expressed his pride in the legacy that the university has created through this department.
Johnson stated, "Wayne State University has always been a place of opportunity, providing access to higher education for working-class, middle-class, and underprivileged students. As a result, many of the most remarkable professionals and leaders in the city of Detroit, Wayne County, Southeast Michigan, and beyond, are graduates of Wayne State." He also highlighted the global reach of the university's research, extending far beyond the borders of Michigan and even the United States.
He added, "For the past 35 years, the department has been home to some of the most influential scholars in the world, specializing in the Black experience. We have had exceptional African scholars in fields such as politics, education, and literature, as well as experts in Caribbean politics and society. When I study Brazil, I see many similarities to the African American political struggle and experience."
The university's website states that the department originated as the Center for Black Studies in response to a protest in 1970, calling for more diversity and inclusion of Black students, faculty, staff, and courses. After 19 years, the 1989 demonstration resulted in the establishment of the Department of Africana Studies, which later evolved into the Department of African American Studies in 2015.
In an article by The South End, Wayne State University's student newspaper, Dr. Errol Henderson, an associate professor of political science at Pennsylvania State University, shared that the group he co-led was inspired by previous protests in Detroit and on campus during the 1960s and '70s. Henderson explained that they felt compelled to take action and reflect the community's sense of togetherness during the protests. He said, "At that moment, the coming together was beautiful. We had support from the surrounding community, who brought us food and showed their solidarity. Today, we still have a strong bond within our community."
Johnson reiterated that the university's legacy of Black activism is something they should all take pride in. He said, "We are a community institution and have been able to impact many students from Detroit and across the state in the last 35 years. We are incredibly proud of that because these former students have become leaders in their own right." He also highlighted the university's tradition of activism and how the department was born out of student demands, showcasing the university's positive response to the call for change. Johnson concluded, "The university created a remarkable institution in the city of Detroit, and we are equally proud of that."
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