African-American Studies Program

The African-American Studies Program at Colby is an interdisciplinary program of courses designed to expose students to the history, literature, and culture of African-Americans in the United States and the Caribbean. Students may elect a major or a minor in the program built around courses in anthropology, economics, English, government, history, literature, music, religious studies, and sociology.

In the late 1960s, a College committee was created to expand Colby’s participation in this burgeoning field. This led to curriculum development, exchanges of visiting scholars, special lectures and other intercultural programs, and student exchanges with predominantly African-American institutions. Formerly called Black Studies, the program has maintained a special relationship with other College programs such as the American Studies Program, the African Studies Program, the Colby College Black History Month Celebration, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Ralph J. Bunche Symposium, all of which sponsor events that explore the themes of diversity and human rights. In 2007 the African-American studies major was established.

Students of African-American studies also often major in English, American studies, music, anthropology, sociology, psychology, government, or history. The history courses taken within the program may be applied to a field of concentration within the history major. All of the African-American studies courses may be applied to the American studies major. A student with any major may take a variety of courses in African-American studies.