The Program of African Studies at Northwestern, founded in 1948 by Melville J. Herskovits as the first formal U.S. program devoted to Africa, is reportedly being moved out of its university-wide research institute status. Staff told The Purple Wire they were informed the center would close and that layoffs would follow, while students and faculty say they were not notified. Northwestern says the program is "in a period of transition" and affirms continued support for African Studies, but details on how teaching and research will be maintained remain unclear.
Northwestern Reportedly Set To Close Historic Program Of African Studies, Ending Nearly Eight-Decade Legacy
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: A detail of Northwestern Wildcats seats prior to the game against the UTEP Miners at Ryan Field on September 09, 2023 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Northwestern University is reportedly preparing to end its long-standing Program of African Studies, a unit founded in 1948 that is widely regarded as the first formal academic program in the United States devoted exclusively to the study of Africa.
Details Of The Report
According to reporting by The Purple Wire, program staff were told the center would close and that layoffs would follow because there would be no center to employ them. Multiple staff members spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of potential retribution.
"They told us that the center is closing, so all staff are being laid off because there will be no center to employ you," one staff member told The Purple Wire.
"They didn't give us a reason for the closing. They haven't actually told staff anything about their plans," another staffer said.
University Response
Northwestern spokesperson Amy E. Lee responded that the Program of African Studies has "not closed but is in a period of transition away from status as an Office for Research university-wide research institute and center." Lee added that the university remains "committed to continued support for all facets of African Studies, including undergraduate and graduate education as well as research."
The report notes that the only staff member explicitly listed with the program at present is director Chris Abani, while two additional staff are associated with the Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa. Students and faculty connected to African studies say they were not informed about the announcement or how the university plans to sustain instruction and research in the field.
Wider Context
Observers place Northwestern's decision in a broader national context of reduced institutional support for Black and African studies. Recent developments include a Florida state Senate bill that removed general-education status from some Black-studies courses and reduced research funding, and actions at the University of Louisville that suspended a Pan-African Studies doctoral program and eliminated graduate assistantships following state legislative pressure.
At this time, it remains unclear how Northwestern will reorganize African Studies teaching and research, whether Weinberg College faculty will absorb responsibilities, or how layoffs will be finalized. Students, faculty, and alumni are likely to watch closely for further official details and any plans to preserve the program's courses and scholarship.
Help us improve.
