Inclusive Scholarship: Developing Black Studies - Ford Foundation

152 Inclusive Scholarship: Developing Black Studies in the United States
administrative experience in helping to run a major conference with many
parts and many special needs.
Of course the formal participants are the sessions’ greatest beneficiaries.
The summer work changes them. They return to their home schools
with new agendas, new senses of their roles as members of a community of
African Americanists. In some cases they have had to shift to new schools
where the sort of innovative, progressive research they witnessed at Penn
could be more highly appreciated.
What makes this one work is:
1. Houston Baker’s steady, experienced leadership; 3
2. Good sponsorship and spirited guidance by the central administration;
and
3. John Roberts and the Center’s staff of hard workers.
University of Wisconsin
The Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, was established in 1970. Located in a university, a city, and a state
comprised of a racially homogeneous population,the faculty and the students
in this department risked intellectual isolation. However, the university’s
commitment to faculty recruitment, and the strong sense of departmental
and institutional loyalty on the part of such faculty members such as Sandra
Adell, Stanlie James, Nellie McKay, Freida Tesfagiorgis, Michael Thornton,
William Van Deburg, and Craig Werner have created a challenging, cohesive,
and productive environment.
African American Studies at the University of Wisconsin used the
grant from the Ford Foundation in a variety of ways with two related goals:
first, to contribute to the career development of students and junior faculty
members, and second, to deepen the connections between the Department
and the outside world. In all years, some portion of the money was allocated
to administrative support so that the department could successfully
coordinate the various initiatives the grant allowed.