As a black student at Ohio University, I support the change of the name of the Department of African American Studies to the Department of Africana Studies.
This name change is reflective of national trends and can contribute significantly to the marketing of the department for prospective students. I encourage administrators, professors and researchers in the department to greatly consider addressing this small change.
I believe a name change is appropriate, and that OU will benefit from the change.
“African American” is an outdated term. In academia, many national universities such as the University of Pittsburgh, Brown University and Rutgers University utilize the name Africana Studies for their specific departments dedicated to black culture and studies. Stanford University has separate African Studies and American Studies departments.
OU should keep with the times and rename the Department of African American Studies to Africana Studies for this reason. Our university deserves to be modern, current and adequate in presenting our programs.
Additionally, as the world is globalizing, national boundaries matter less. College students simply expect the most recent name to take effect.
Although I still identify as American, I believe the term “American” can refer to Guatemalans, Brazilians and Mexicans too. I feel that in today’s boundary-less society, it is simply easier to use the word “black” instead of African American. “Africana” encapsulates all of black identity — whether in or out of Africa or black America.
Herman Cain, arguably more “African American” than President Obama, said recently: “My roots go back through slavery in this country. Yes, they came from Africa, but the roots of my heritage are in the United States of America, so I consider myself a black American.”
I agree with Cain’s comments because I am more American than I am African. I feel no attachment to the African continent any more than my white friends feel to Europe.
With that having been said, I fully and unconditionally support the change of the name of the Department of African American Studies to the Department of Africana Studies.
This current and needed change reflects the best way to promote the research of the department. Countless other schools and programs have followed suit by renaming their departments with the Africana Studies name. As much as I support our university, I also want to see it do a better job of encapsulating all that we represent.
I hope that other students consider this change necessary in the months and years ahead.
Benjamin Harris is a junior studying African American Studies.
