Kimberly Sanchez Rael, Chair of the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico | The University of New Mexico
Kimberly Sanchez Rael, Chair of the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico | The University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM) is celebrating Black History Month, a tradition it has observed since 1976 following President Gerald Ford's formal recognition. However, the roots of this celebration date back to 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-educated historian, introduced Negro History Week to highlight the achievements of Black Americans.
Woodson selected the second week of February for this observance due to its alignment with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, both significant figures in black American history. Since then, Black History Month has been nationally recognized from February 1 through February 28.
UNM was an early adopter in recognizing and promoting black history. In 1970, driven by students from the Black Student Union, UNM established what was initially called the "Afro Studies program." This initiative was among the first of its kind in the nation and evolved into African American Studies in 1982. By 1993, it became a degree-granting program and today holds full department status as UNM's Department of Africana Studies.
The Department of Anthropology at UNM honors this tradition each February by hosting a dedicated webpage that highlights events celebrating black scholars and features resources related to African American Student Services. The site also includes a historical project capturing the Black experience at UNM.
Kirsten Pai Buick chairs UNM’s Africana Studies Program, which aims to provide students with insights into global connections between African-descended people across various regions including Mexico and Latin America. "Africana Studies provides an excellent university experience in a discipline that investigates African-descended peoples' experiences from their interests," she stated.
Faculty members such as Professor Kathy Powers are spotlighted for their contributions. Powers' research delves into international institutions concerning human rights and restorative justice.
African American Student Services (AASS) plays a vital role at UNM by supporting Black student populations through educational discourse and community engagement initiatives. Directed by Brandi Stone, AASS seeks to foster excellence among Black student scholars at UNM.
For more information about Black History Month activities at UNM, visit their Anthropology webpage.
Alerts Sign-up