afas.washu.edu

WashU's Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) uses its homepage to spotlight a mix of public-facing conversations: a featured discussion on the future of the American university, faculty book recommendations for Black History Month, and news of scholarly recognition for its James Baldwin Review. These items are presented as current programming and public intellectual engagement rather than as a single events calendar, so the homepage is best read as a snapshot of what the department is highlighting now.

The Featured Discussion: "Black Studies and the Future of the American University"

This is the most prominent conversation on the page. According to the department's excerpt, the discussion centers on several connected pressures facing U.S. universities:

• Academic freedom under challenge — debates over curriculum, speech, and institutional governance, and what they mean for the university's role in a democratic society.
• Funding and research independence — as universities rely more on private funding, tensions emerge between faculty and student research and the interests of donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• State-level curriculum politics — Missouri is described as a key site for legislative efforts to shape educational curricula, with the concern that such interventions could narrow the range of perspectives and critical analysis available.

The framing is explicitly about how universities can sustain open inquiry, inclusive knowledge production, and democratic engagement under these conditions. If you want the full argument, the page links out with a "Read More Here" prompt.

Why this topic fits the department

The theme connects Black Studies scholarship to broader questions about who shapes curriculum and whose research gets supported — questions the department treats as central to its mission, not peripheral.

Black History Month: Faculty Book Recommendations

The department highlights a Black History Month feature in which WashU professors recommend books. This is a public-facing, low-barrier way to engage with faculty expertise: rather than a formal lecture, it's a curated reading list attributed to named professors. For students, community members, or prospective applicants, it functions as both a reading entry point and a signal of the department's range of faculty interests.

Scholarly Recognition: James Baldwin Review Award

The page announces that the James Baldwin Review's tenth-anniversary Volume 10 won the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ) Special Issue Award for 2024–2025. The judges called the issue "expertly edited" and said it would "prove generative for scholarship and creative work to come." CELJ also praised its dual audience — an excellent portrait of why new readers need Baldwin now, and a "who's who" of Baldwin scholarship for specialists.

This item matters for anyone assessing the department's research profile: it shows an active editorial role in a major journal in the field, with peer recognition attached. The page links to read Volume 10.

Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies

The page also promotes the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies, offered by AFAS for doctoral students at Washington University. Per the description, it provides rigorous interdisciplinary training in the humanities and social sciences beyond a student's primary department, through coursework and a community of scholars exploring Black experiences across the globe. The page includes an "Apply Now" prompt, indicating applications are open at the time of the page's content.

How to Use This Page

One practical caveat: the homepage highlights selected items rather than listing dated events, so treat it as a curated front page. For specific event dates, registration, or a full calendar, check the department's other pages or contact the department directly — the homepage excerpt does not provide a schedule.

The Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) at Washington University in St. Louis presents its research output through a mix of a departmental journal, public commentary, and interdisciplinary graduate training. The clearest single publication to point to is the James Baldwin Review, whose tenth-anniversary volume (Volume 10) received the 2024–2025 Best Special Issue Award from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ). Beyond that, the department's research identity shows up in public-facing scholarship—such as faculty book recommendations for Black History Month—and in the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies, which extends research training to doctoral students across disciplines.

The James Baldwin Review and the CELJ Award

The James Baldwin Review is the department's most concretely documented publication. According to the department's site, CELJ's judging panel called Volume 10 "expertly edited" and described it as a collection that will "prove generative for scholarship and creative work to come."

The award citation also speaks to the volume's range:

• For newcomers, the issue works as "an excellent portrait of why they need to read James Baldwin now."
• For specialists, it functions as "a who's who of James Baldwin scholarship."

The editorial staff credited contributors and editorial board members for the recognition. If you want to assess the journal's scope or cite it, the department links directly to Volume 10 from its homepage.

What this tells you about the department's research profile

A journal dedicated to a single author, sustained across ten volumes and recognized by a learned-journals council, signals a research culture built around long-term editorial projects rather than one-off publications. It also indicates the department treats literary and cultural criticism as core scholarly work alongside history and social science.

Public-Facing Research and Commentary

The department frames its mission around "transformative research, teaching, and programming," and its homepage shows that research reaching public audiences. Two examples:

• Black History Month book recommendations from WashU professors, which translate faculty expertise into accessible reading lists.
• Commentary on "Black Studies and the Future of the American University," which addresses academic freedom, curriculum debates, donor influence on research, and Missouri legislative efforts to shape educational curricula. The piece argues these conditions create a critical moment for examining how universities sustain open inquiry and inclusive knowledge production.

For prospective students or collaborators, this combination suggests the department values scholarship that engages current policy and institutional questions, not only archival or theoretical work.

Research Training: The Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies

The department's research mission extends through the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies, offered to doctoral students at Washington University. Key features from the department's description:

The certificate is aimed at students who want rigorous grounding in Black studies without switching departments. If you are a doctoral student considering it, the practical next step is the department's "Apply Now" page for the certificate, which the homepage links directly.

How to Use These Resources

• To read or cite the Baldwin scholarship: start with James Baldwin Review Volume 10 via the department's link, and use the CELJ award as external validation of the volume's quality.
• To follow the department's public commentary: check the homepage features, which rotate between faculty recommendations and essays on higher education.
• To pursue research training: review the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies requirements and application through the AFAS site.

One caution: the department's public pages describe research themes and programs at a high level. For specifics—publication lists, faculty research areas, or certificate course requirements—you will need to navigate the department's internal pages rather than rely on the homepage summary.

The Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) at Washington University in St. Louis is an academic department dedicated to research, teaching, and programming on African and African American life and history. Its website, afas.washu.edu, serves as the department's public home for news, events, and academic offerings. It is most useful to prospective and current WashU students, faculty, and researchers looking for the department's programs, public lectures, and publications.

What the Department Does

AFAS describes itself as a "vibrant and impactful social and intellectual community" committed to transformative research, teaching, and programming. In practice, the site shows three connected strands of work:

• Research and scholarship — including faculty-led public writing and the department's editorial projects.
• Teaching and academic programs — including graduate-level training that reaches beyond the department's own students.
• Programming and public conversation — events, recommended reading, and commentary on current debates in higher education.

Academic Offerings on the Site

Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies

The most concrete program described on the homepage is the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies. Key details from the department's own description:

If you are a WashU doctoral student considering the certificate, the site's "Apply Now" link is the starting point. The page does not state application deadlines, eligibility beyond doctoral status, or cost, so confirm those directly with the department.

Undergraduate and other study

The homepage excerpt focuses on the graduate certificate; it does not detail undergraduate majors or minors. Students seeking those should browse the department's academic pages rather than rely on the homepage summary.

Research, Publications, and Public Voice

The site highlights several activities that show how the department engages beyond the classroom:

• James Baldwin Review — the department's journal, whose tenth-anniversary Volume 10 won the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ) Best Special Issue Award for 2024–2025. CELJ called the issue "expertly edited" and a "who's who of James Baldwin scholarship."
• Commentary on higher education — a featured piece, "Black Studies and the Future of the American University," examines academic freedom, curriculum debates, donor influence, and Missouri legislation affecting educational curricula.
• Book recommendations — a Black History Month reading list recommended by WashU professors.
• Joint Postdoctoral Fellowship — a fellowship run with the Center for the Humanities, listed among the department's news items.

These items are useful if you want a sense of the department's intellectual range or are looking for Baldwin scholarship, public humanities programming, or fellowship opportunities.

Who the Site Is For

• Prospective and current graduate students at WashU exploring the Global Black Studies certificate.
• Scholars and researchers interested in African and African American Studies, Black Studies, or the James Baldwin Review.
• Faculty and postdocs watching for fellowships such as the joint postdoctoral position with the Center for the Humanities.
• General readers looking for recommended books, public lectures, or informed commentary on debates over curriculum and academic freedom.

Practical Notes

The site functions as a news and program hub rather than a full course catalog. For admissions requirements, deadlines, tuition, and faculty directories, use the department's linked academic pages or contact AFAS directly. The homepage does not publish pricing or login-restricted content, so treat any program cost or access question as something to verify with the department.

The Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) at Washington University in St. Louis publishes its program and application information directly on its homepage at afas.washu.edu. Prospective students should start with the "About Our Department" section for orientation, then follow the "Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies" link and its "Apply Now" call to action for admissions details. The site is an academic department page, not a centralized admissions portal, so expect program-level information here and formal application steps through the university's graduate admissions process.

Start with the department overview

The homepage's "About Our Department" section is the entry point for understanding what AFAS is and what it offers. The department describes itself as a community committed to transformative research, teaching, and programming in African and African-American Studies. Reading this section first helps you confirm whether the department's scope—humanities and social science approaches to Black experiences in the U.S. and globally—matches your goals before you dig into specific programs.

Locate the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies

The homepage features a dedicated block for the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies, offered by AFAS. Key details stated on the page:

• It provides doctoral students at Washington University with rigorous interdisciplinary training in the humanities and social sciences beyond their primary department.
• It is built around coursework and participation in a community of scholars exploring Black experiences across the globe.

If you are a WashU doctoral student in another department, this certificate is the program the site is pointing you toward. If you are not yet a doctoral student at WashU, the certificate page is still useful for understanding the department's graduate-level offerings, but eligibility as described is tied to current doctoral enrollment.

Use the "Apply Now" link

The certificate section includes an explicit "Apply Now: Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies" link. That is the site's designated path from interest to application. Follow it to see the application requirements and deadlines the department publishes for the certificate.

Check department pages for program and admissions information

Beyond the homepage highlights, the site organizes program and admissions content on department pages. A practical sequence:

1. Open the "About Our Department" page to confirm program scope.
2. Open the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies page for curriculum and eligibility.
3. Use the "Apply Now" link for application instructions.
4. Return to the homepage news area for time-sensitive items—for example, the site currently highlights a Joint Postdoctoral Fellowship in African & African American Studies and the Center for the Humanities, which signals the kind of opportunities posted there.

What else the homepage tells you

The homepage is also a signal of the department's intellectual activity, which can help you judge fit:

• "Black Studies and the Future of the American University" — a featured piece on academic freedom, curriculum debates, and the role of universities in democratic society, noting Missouri's role in legislative efforts around educational curricula.
• James Baldwin Review — the department's journal, whose tenth-anniversary Volume 10 won the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ) Special Issue Award for 2024–2025.
• Black History Month Books Recommended by WashU Professors — a reading list reflecting faculty expertise.

These items do not replace program pages, but they show the research and public-facing work you would be joining.

Common sticking points

• Expecting a full admissions portal on the department site. The AFAS site links out for applications; use the "Apply Now" link rather than searching the homepage for forms.
• Assuming the certificate is open to all applicants. The page describes it for WashU doctoral students; check the certificate page for the exact eligibility language before preparing materials.
• Missing deadlines. Department pages and the Apply Now destination carry the current dates; the homepage news feed is not a deadline list.

For the most current program requirements, application steps, and deadlines, work from the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies page and its Apply Now link, and confirm details with the department directly.

The Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies is an interdisciplinary credential offered by Washington University in St. Louis's Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) to doctoral students who want rigorous training in the humanities and social sciences beyond their primary department. It is designed for PhD students already enrolled at WashU who want to add a structured, globally framed study of Black experiences to their existing research agenda—not for prospective students seeking a standalone degree or for master's or undergraduate students.

Who it is for

The certificate is explicitly aimed at doctoral students at Washington University. Its purpose is to let those students build interdisciplinary expertise that complements, rather than replaces, their home department's training. If you are a PhD candidate in history, English, sociology, anthropology, or another field and your work touches on Black life, culture, or politics across regions, this is the audience the program is built for.

If you are not yet a WashU doctoral student, the certificate is not an entry point to the university—it is an add-on for students already in a doctoral program.

What it involves

According to the department, the certificate provides:

• Interdisciplinary training in the humanities and social sciences, drawn from beyond the student's primary department.
• A focus on Black experiences across the globe, rather than a single national or regional frame.
• Coursework structured to meet the certificate's requirements.
• Membership in a community of scholars exploring global Black studies—a cohort dimension, not just a set of courses.

The department frames the certificate as a way to "broaden your scholarship," which signals that the intended outcome is a stronger, more comparative research profile rather than a separate professional credential.

Why the global framing matters

The "Global" in the title is the distinguishing feature. Much of the department's public work—including its James Baldwin Review, which won the Council of Editors of Learned Journals' Best Special Issue Award for 2024–2025—engages Black thought and culture across national boundaries. The certificate reflects that orientation: students are trained to situate Black experiences in transnational and comparative contexts, which is useful if your dissertation or future research crosses regions (for example, comparing Black communities in the U.S. and the Caribbean, or tracing diaspora networks).

How to decide whether it fits

Use these conditions to judge fit:

How to apply

The department directs interested students to its "Apply Now: Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies" page, which is the authoritative source for requirements, deadlines, and the application process. Because eligibility, coursework counts, and timelines can change, check that page and confirm details with the AFAS department before planning your course sequence. The key first step is confirming with your home department that the certificate's coursework can fit within your doctoral program's requirements.