Inclusive Scholarship: Developing Black Studies - Ford Foundation

Inclusive Scholarship: Developing Black Studies in the United States 107
As with many other issues in Black Studies,there is no consensus about
the wisdom of developing graduate degree programs in Afro-American
Studies. Certainly, at this stage in the evolution of Black Studies, there is a
need for a creditable Ph.D. degree program. As I traveled around the country,
Black Studies scholars expressed enthusiasm about the prospects of
making a Ph.D. degree program available to students. 3
Black Scholars and the Modern Black Studies
Movement
At present, there are a number of top-flight Black scholars, more than at any
time in history. They are producing first-rate, indeed award winning, books
and articles in areas of Black Studies. By far the most exhilarating part of
the entire project involved meeting these scholars and becoming familiar
with their work. No assessment of the overall status and impact of Black
Studies would be complete without noting the research activities of this latest
generation of Black professors and administrators. Because the absolute
numbers of Black professors is small and declining, it is easy to lose sight of
the quality and breadth of their research and to minimize the impact that
they have had on scholarship in all branches of knowledge.
The collective scholarship of Black professors provides a sound foundation
for the future development of Black Studies as a discipline. To a great
extent, this scholarship will ensure the eventual institutionalization of
Black Studies within the academy. As long as Black scholars remain productive
and competitive, and devote considerable attention to recruiting and
training the next generation of scholars, Black Studies will enjoy a presence
on America’s campuses. It is, however, precisely the need to recruit, retain,
and educate young Black men and women in the humanistic and social science
disciplines that casts a cloud over the joy and exuberance accompanying
any serious examination of the quality of Black scholarship in the last
two decades. For a variety of reasons, fewer Black students are entering
graduate school with plans for academic careers. At every stop on my tour
of Black Studies units, faculty members and administrators, Black and