Africana Studies

University of Tennessee College of Arts and Sciences

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Student hangout while relaxing at the HSS Amphitheatre on November 06, 2025. Photo by Steven Bridges/University of Tennessee.

WELCOME THE AFRICANA EXPERIENCE

Welcome to the Department of Africana Studies! For more than 50 years, we have studied and celebrated the traditions, history, and agency of the African Americans who were instrumental in the emergence of Africana Studies in the United States.

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The Department of Africana Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville fosters a comprehensive understanding of the diverse people of African descent through interdisciplinary scholarship, creative expression, and community-based research. Integrating ideas and action, our faculty specialize in innovative approaches to Literature, U.S. History, Health, Gender, Social Movements, Creative Writing, and Religion.   

We are committed to producing and communicating knowledge through rigorous research, innovative teaching, and active community engagement. We empower our students to become critical thinkers, skilled communicators, and compassionate leaders.   

We seek to build strong connections with local, national, and international partners to enhance our research and educational initiatives. By integrating scholarly inquiry with practical application, we aim to make a meaningful impact on both academia and society.   


The UT Torchbearer holds his torch amid flowers on campus.
Natalie Graham, Interim Department Head of Africana Studies.

Africana Studies Brings Girls Poetry, Music, Food

During February, elementary school girls across three counties are exploring poems, jazz, and Southern foods with support from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Professor Natalie Graham, interim head of the Department of Africana Studies, worked to develop the curriculum with Girls Inc. of the Tennessee Valley, a nonprofit that inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold. She also will deliver some of the lessons.

Read more about Girls Inc.

News

  • Natalie Graham headshot
    Graham Heads Department of Africana StudiesSeptember 17, 2026
  • The Supreme Court buliding against a bue sky and green lawns.
    Supreme Court ruling: The latest in history of diminishing minority voting rightsMay 4, 2026
  • Natalie Graham, Interim Department Head of Africana Studies.
    Graham Selected for Summer Poetry ResidenceMarch 31, 2026
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Recent Posts

  • Graham Heads Department of Africana Studies
  • Supreme Court ruling: The latest in history of diminishing minority voting rights
  • Graham Selected for Summer Poetry Residence
  • Africana Studies Brings Girls Poetry, Music, Food
  • Robert Bland in ‘The Conversation:’ The Supreme Court may soon diminish Black political power, undoing generations of gains

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College of Arts and Sciences

Natalie Graham, Department Head
1201 McClung Tower
1115 Volunteer Blvd. | Knoxville TN 37996
Phone: 865-974-5052 | Fax: 865-974-8669
[email protected]

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Celebrating 50+ years of Africana Studies at The University of Tennessee