Africana Studies at Penn

Captain Theresa Claiborne was the first female African-American pilot in the United States Air Force. Claiborne joined ROTC during her time at California State University, Sacramento, which sparked her interest in becoming a pilot. Her first time being commissioned to fly in the USAF came in 1981, which cemented her name in history as the very first Black woman to do so. By the time Captain Claiborne retired from the military in 2003, she had logged over 3,000 military flight hours. Following her career with the USAF, she flew for United Airlines for 34 years before retiring on May 29, 2024.

#funfactfriday #captclaiborne #captain #pilot #blackpilots #blackwomen #women #firsts #flight #planes #africanastudies #upenn

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Africana Studies at Penn

Meet the 2024 Summer Institute faculty! Today, we are happy to introduce you to David Amponsah, Presidential Assistant Professor of Africana Studies.
The Center for Africana Studies Summer Institute is one of Penn’s premier Pre-First Year Student programs. This intensive one-week course of study is taught by standing Penn faculty and exposes students to major intellectual and cultural themes and currents in 19th, 20th, and 21st century African and African Diaspora studies. Apply today! tinyurl.com/africanaupenn-si

#davidamponsah #meetthefaculty #classes #education #blackmen #africa #literature #writing #fiction #authors #prefirstyear #summer #students #weeklong #free #upenn #africanastudies

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Africana Studies at Penn

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, in which the US Supreme Court ruled that state-sponsored segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. In truth, Brown v. Board was the consolidation of five related cases against the constitutionality of segregation, argued by Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court. Ruling in favor of the plaintiff, Justice Earl Warren delivered the court’s unanimous decision including the following statement: "We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. . ."
Image Credit: Carl Iwasaki/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images

#brownvboard #education #anniversary #desegregation #supremecourt #ruling #70years #blackhistory #africanastudies #upenn

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

Africana Studies at Penn

In the late 1860s, during the height of the Reconstruction Era, Frederick Douglass toured the country delivering a speech titled “Composite Nation.” In his lecture, Douglass expressed his ideas about an ideal nation in which prejudice was eradicated. Douglass shared explicit support for immigration from East Asia, a concept that was greatly rejected by most politicians and citizens. In his speech, Douglass writes “There are such things in the world as human rights. They rest upon no conventional foundation, but are external, universal, and indestructible. Among these, is the right of locomotion; the right of migration; the right which belongs to no particular race, but belongs alike to all and to all alike… It is this great right that I assert for the Chinese and the Japanese, and for all other varieties of men equally with yourselves, now and forever.”

#funfactfriday #frederickdouglass #black #asian #aapiheritagemonth #immigration #humanrights #reconstruction #africanastudies #upenn

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

Africana Studies at Penn

Meet the 2024 Summer Institute faculty! Today, we are happy to introduce you to Akira Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Design.
The Center for Africana Studies Summer Institute is one of Penn’s premier Pre-First Year Student programs. This intensive one-week course of study is taught by standing Penn faculty and exposes students to major intellectual and cultural themes and currents in 19th, 20th, and 21st century African and African Diaspora studies. Apply today! tinyurl.com/africanaupenn-si

#akirarodriguez #meetthefaculty #classes #education #blackwomen #race #cities #architecture #building #environment #summerinstitute #prefirstyear #summer #students #weeklong #free #upenn #africanastudie

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Africana Studies at Penn

Meet the 2024 Summer Institute faculty! Today, we are happy to introduce you to Odette Casamayor-Cisneros, Associate Professor of Romance Languages.
The Center for Africana Studies Summer Institute is one of Penn’s premier Pre-First Year Student programs. This intensive one-week course of study is taught by standing Penn faculty and exposes students to major intellectual and cultural themes and currents in 19th, 20th, and 21st century African and African Diaspora studies. Apply today! tinyurl.com/africanaupenn-si

#meetthefaculty #odettecasamayorcisneros #classes #education #blackwomen #latinamerica #caribbean #agency #summerinstitute #prefirstyear #summer #students #weeklong #free #upenn #africanastudies

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

Africana Studies at Penn

Meet the 2024 Summer Institute faculty! Today, we are happy to introduce you to Ed Brockenbrough, Associate Professor and Calvin Bland Fellow Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Division, Graduate School of Education.

The Center for Africana Studies Summer Institute is one of Penn’s premier Pre-First Year Student programs. This intensive one-week course of study is taught by standing Penn faculty and exposes students to major intellectual and cultural themes and currents in 19th, 20th, and 21st century African and African Diaspora studies. Apply today! tinyurl.com/africanaupenn-si

#meetthefaculty #edbrockenbrough #classes #education #usa #summerinstitute #prefirstyear #summer #students #weeklong #free #upenn #africanastudies

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

Africana Studies at Penn

Congratulations to Tyshawn Sorey, Presidential Assistant Professor of Music in the School of Arts & Sciences! Sorey has been awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his musical composition ‘Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith).' tinyurl.com/sorey-pulitzer2024

#tyshawnsorey #pulitzerprize #prize #congrats #professor #music #adagio

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Africana Studies at Penn

A new mural project, in honor of the influential African American labor organizer Ben Fletcher, is being launched in Philadelphia next week on May 18, 2024! @muralarts
Born in 1890 Fletcher was one of the most influential working-class unionists, revolutionaries, and organizers in all of US history. Mural Arts Philadelphia is collaborating with the Philadelphia General Membership branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), Philly Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), historians, and local unions, to create a mural in honor of Fletcher. The new mural is designed by famed painter Jonathan Pinkett and painted by Efrain Herrera.

Please join us as we dedicate this new mural and pay tribute to Fletcher’s many contributions.

#muralarts #art #history #benfletcher #blackhistory #labor #unions #philadelphia

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

Africana Studies at Penn

On this day in 1964, Frederick O’Neal became the first black president of the Actors’ Equity Association, a labor union representing workers in the theater industry. At 14, O’Neal and his family moved to St. Louis, MO where he began acting. O’Neal was known for his work in TV, film, and Broadway, which earned him several awards. He founded both the American Negro Theater and the British Negro Theater, and his work with the Actors’ Equity Association placed O’Neal on Richard Nixon’s master list of political opponents.

#funfactfriday #actors #movies #theater #entertainment #history #unions #blackhistory #africanastudies #upenn

4 months ago | [YT] | 0