Expanding our knowledge of Black people, their histories and their contributions toward creating a more just society is an act of reconciliation and an expression of value for the vastness of their experiences.
A team of Towson University researchers has begun the multiyear Unearthing Towson’s History Project to investigate and publicize the institution’s exclusionist past and its ongoing efforts to diversify.
The interdisciplinary collaborative effort centers students as researchers and interpreters and connects alumni and the wider community to the university. With the project, TU joins efforts at American colleges and universities to come to terms with a legacy of racial inequality in American higher education.
The Legacy of John Gissendanner, professor emeritus of English
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The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
Learn More“Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the forefront of our values and priorities here at Towson University. As we work on this focus together, we want to ensure that all our students, faculty and staff feel seen and heard through an inclusive environment and a collaborative and supportive community. So, while Black History Month is celebrated every February, we celebrate Black achievements, culture and history year-round,” writes Patricia Bradley, vice president for inclusion and institutional equity.
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Julius Chapman became Towson State College’s first dean of minority affairs a half-century ago. During his 12-year career, he recruited and mentored African American students while helping to establish the Black Student Union, the Black Faculty and Administrators Association and the Black Cultural Center.
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Gabrielle Stanback ’22 became the first Black female student to solo with the Towson University Symphony Orchestra in 2018. In 2020, she received one of 20 inaugural music innovation grants for promising young musicians. The scholarship enabled her to continue summer studies with TU associate professor of violin Jeffrey Howard.
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When a Supreme Court decision opened the door to educational opportunity, Marvis Barnes ’59 and Myra Harris ’59 stepped through to enroll at the State Teachers College at Towson. Their arrival signaled the beginning of a determined, rewarding—and at times hurtful—journey. Today, two West Village residence halls are named in their honor.
Watch VideoHistorically African American fraternities and sororities on campus.
The first time the Black Studies major is offered in the curriculum.
Number of years the Black Student Leadership Conference has been held.
Chloe ’21 and Kayla Harvey ’23 explore their family’s creation of the African American flag in “20|02,” a collaborative production with Morgan State University
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Andrew Diemer, Ph.D., associate professor of history, has authored several books on African American history and the history of slavery and anti-slavery. His book “Vigilance: The Life of William Still, Father of the Underground Railroad,” explores the life of a lesser known, yet very significant, figure in Black American history.
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In response to the lack of physical activity and education work focusing on Black youth led by Black scholars, Tara Blackshear, Ed.D., associate professor or kinesiology, co-authored Critical Race Studies in Physical Education. This resource helps teachers understand crucial issues that Black students face in physical education and learn culturally competent classroom strategies.
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Donn Worgs, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of the African & African American Studies program, explores current events within contemporary and historical contexts in his research and teaching. His areas of expertise include Black morality politics, urban neighborhoods, revitalization politics and community-driven development in The Gambia and Senegal.
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Lecturer Ada Pinkston, a 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Faculty Fellow, uses anthropological
material, service learning, and the past of the Hampton National Historical Site to
teach the history of colonialism, the construction of race, and the impact of forced
labor.
Exploring a local and complicated history
The African and African American studies minor explores the historical and social experiences and cultural contributions of Africans and people of African descent in a global perspective. It also provides a critical perspective on race in American society.
Learn MoreResearch guides from Albert S. Cook Library include materials supporting the study of African American history and culture and the African Diaspora, including databases, books, primary sources, visual and performing arts collections and more.
Learn MoreVoices of Baltimore: Life under Segregation preserves the rich oral histories of a quickly diminishing population of African Americans who attended segregated schools or experienced desegregation before and after the historic 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education ruling.
TU College of Education faculty members Gary Homana, Ph.D., and Morna McDermott McNulty, Ph.D., along with Franklin Campbell Jones, Ph.D., produced and directed the film that asks the question, “Where have we been, and where are we going?”
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day, is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. The university celebrates Juneteenth annually by hosting programs that provide an opportunity for the community to heal, reflect, support, educate, and take action in meaningful ways.
Learn MoreTU alumnus named first black editor-in-chief of Maryland Law Review
Read Brandon Wharton's Story
