Past Events
PÉLAGIE X: Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Enjoy a free screening of PÉLAGIE X, a new short film by two time Academy Award winning Breakwater Studios, followed by a panel discussion exploring the life and legacy of Pélagie Amoureux, a formerly enslaved woman whose 18th century home in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, still stands today.
Umrath Lounge
Resistance & Underground Railroads to Mexican Spaces
Join us for a lecture by Ohio State University historian María Esther Hammack exploring hidden freedom journeys of enslaved people from Missouri into Mexican spaces. Related materials from the Julian Edison Department of Special Collections will be on display before and after the lecture.
Olin Library
Critical Perspectives on Minneapolis and the Current Moment
Join the African & African American Studies and American Culture Studies departments for Critical Perspectives on Minneapolis and the Current Moment, a timely conversation featuring WashU scholars and community voices exploring race, justice, and the social conditions shaping our present.
Food will be provided.
Food will be provided.
Wilson Hall, Room 214 | Washington University Danforth Campus
Douglass Day
Drop in for a collaborative digital transcribe-a-thon in celebration of the birthday of Frederick Douglass, noted abolitionist, orator, and U.S. Ambassador to Haiti. Together with Douglass Day events across the country, we will be transcribing documents from the African American Perspectives Collection at the Library of Congress. Volunteers will be available to assist you with learning to operate the digital transcription interface.
Olin Library, Room 142
The Race & Ethnicity Study Group, CRE2: Donavan Ramon, Keeping It Real: Black Men, Fight Scenes and Self Making
The Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Equity at WashU welcomes faculty and graduate students from all St. Louis area campuses interested in race and ethnicity as categories of analysis in a broad variety of transdisciplinary contemporary and historical cultural studies work.
More details coming soon!
More details coming soon!
Location TBD
Book Talk with Samuel Shearer: Kilgali A New City for the End of the World
Join University Libraries for a faculty book talk featuring AFAS professor, Dr. Samuel Shearer, who will discuss his new book on the transformation of Kigali and the global implications of sustainable urbanism.
RSVP Required -- See Below
RSVP Required -- See Below
Wilson Hall 214
The Black Rep Show: The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body
Stay after the show for a post-performance conversation with playwright Lisa B. Thompson and WashU Law Professor Adrienne Davis as they reflect on The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body, a vibrant and affirming work that celebrates Black women, community, and survival.
Purchase Tickets Below!
Purchase Tickets Below!
A.E Hotchner Studio Theatre, Washington University
Artist Talk: Ballaké Sissoko, kora
in conversation with Patrick Burke and El Hadji Samba Amadou Diallo
Pillsbury Theatre, 560 Music Center
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration: The Annual Celebration
The 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration (Danforth Campus)
Monday, January 19, 2026
Graham Chapel, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.*
Theme: Pressing Our Way: Striving for Change
Monday, January 19, 2026
Graham Chapel, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.*
Theme: Pressing Our Way: Striving for Change
Graham Chapel | Washington University Danforth Campus
Africa's Past, Present, and Future: Perspective from an African Diplomat
Join the Department of African and African American Studies for an engaging talk with Dr. Koang Tutlam Dung, a distinguished African diplomat and medical doctor, as he shares insights on Africa’s evolving role in global affairs.
Simon 1
The James Baldwin Lecture - Achieving Our Country: Baldwin and U.S. Politics Today
Save the Date!
Emerson Auditorium | Washington University
‘Unimaginable Atrocities’: The Neglected Catastrophe in Sudan and the History of Genocide in the Region
Scott Straus, Professor and Chair, Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley — Holocaust Memorial Lecture
Umrath Lounge
Critical Race Theory at the Bottom of the Well: Derrick Bell’s ‘Grandchildren’ Reflect on the Future of CRT
Join us for a roundtable with Adrienne Davis, Robert Chang, and Anthony Farley as they reflect on Derrick Bell’s legacy and the future of Critical Race Theory.
Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom (A-B Hall, Room 310)
2025 Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) Conference
Join Us for ASWAD’s 25th Anniversary!
The Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) invites scholars, artists, activists, and community members from around the globe to join us in St. Louis, Missouri, for our 12th Biennial Conference – a historic 25th anniversary celebration of African and African Diaspora scholarship, culture, and resistance.
This year’s theme, “I’ve Known Rivers: The Ecologies of Black Life and Resistance”, explores the interwoven histories, movements, and lived experiences that shape the African and African Diaspora. Engage in groundbreaking research presentations, artistic showcases, workshops, and cultural experiences as we gather in a city rich with Black history and contemporary activism.
The Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) invites scholars, artists, activists, and community members from around the globe to join us in St. Louis, Missouri, for our 12th Biennial Conference – a historic 25th anniversary celebration of African and African Diaspora scholarship, culture, and resistance.
This year’s theme, “I’ve Known Rivers: The Ecologies of Black Life and Resistance”, explores the interwoven histories, movements, and lived experiences that shape the African and African Diaspora. Engage in groundbreaking research presentations, artistic showcases, workshops, and cultural experiences as we gather in a city rich with Black history and contemporary activism.
St. Louis, MO | Marriot St. Louis Grand
Anti-Haitianism, Statelessness, and Religious Practice in The Bahamas
Join the African and African American Studies and Anthropology departments for a talk led by Dr. Bertin M. Louis, Professor of Anthropology and African and African American Studies at the University of Kentucky. A light reception will follow the event.
McMillan Hall G052
Religion and Politics: A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates
The John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics is pleased to host a special Danforth Distinguished Lecture featuring award-winning author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Ta-Nehisi Coates holds the Sterling Brown Endowed Chair at Howard University in the English department. His bestselling books include The Water Dancer, The Message, and 2015 National Book Award winner, Between the World and Me.
Elizabeth Hinton, Yale Professor of History, African American Studies, and Law, will join Coates on stage for this wide-ranging public conversation. Hinton’s research focuses on the persistence of poverty, racial inequality, and urban violence in the 20th century United States.
Ta-Nehisi Coates holds the Sterling Brown Endowed Chair at Howard University in the English department. His bestselling books include The Water Dancer, The Message, and 2015 National Book Award winner, Between the World and Me.
Elizabeth Hinton, Yale Professor of History, African American Studies, and Law, will join Coates on stage for this wide-ranging public conversation. Hinton’s research focuses on the persistence of poverty, racial inequality, and urban violence in the 20th century United States.
Graham Chapel
Religion and Politics: A Book Talk with Elizabeth Hinton and Douglas Flowe - America on Fire
Douglas Flowe (WashU History) discusses the recent book, America on Fire, with the author.
Umrath Lounge
Hélène's Dream - Stage Play
Join us for a staged reading of the play Hélène’s Dream, written and directed by Amira-Géhanne Khalfallah, followed by a panel discussion about the politics of translation today.
Women's Building Formal Lounge
Global Black Studies Graduate Certificate Launch
Join us in celebrating the launch of the Global Black Studies Graduate Certificate, an exciting new interdisciplinary program that highlights critical inquiries into the global dimensions of Black experiences, politics, and cultural expressions.
Washington University Danforth Campus | Seigle Hall, Room 109
Workshop of Afro-Brazilian Samba and Capoeira from Backland Bahia, Brazil
Pillsbury Theatre, 560 Music Center
AFAS Fall 2025 Welcome Back Event
Join AFAS for our Fall 2025 Welcome Back Event on September 9th, 4:30–6:00 PM in McMillan Courtyard! Enjoy food, games, and networking as we kick off the new school year together. Students, faculty, and community partners are all welcome!
McMillan Courtyard
AFAS Senior Seminar Showcase
Join the African & African American Studies senior majors as they present their senior capstone projects to the department, friends, and family.
Come learn about the hard work of our seniors and discover the projects they have developed throughout the year.
Come learn about the hard work of our seniors and discover the projects they have developed throughout the year.
Seigle 301
Classical Slave Names and Container Theory: An African American History
Emily Greenwood, James M. Rothenberg Professor of the Classics and of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Steinberg Auditorium
Nourishing Roots: Addressing Food Apartheid in Black Communities
Systemic racism, economic disinvestment, and environmental injustice have long contributed to food apartheid in Black communities across the United States and the African diaspora. This conversation brings together scholars, organizers, and food justice advocates to explore community-driven solutions, policy interventions, and innovative strategies for building equitable and sustainable food systems that promote both well-being and self-determination.
Register to receive the zoom link
‘Suffering is not seldom the reward for service …’: Anna Julia Cooper and the Black Feminist Prometheus
Emily Greenwood, James M. Rothenberg Professor of the Classics and of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Umrath Lounge
Black Women's Studies Association - 2nd Annual Virtual Symposium
“No One is Free Until We All are Free:” Activism, Advocacy, and Academic Freedom During Late-Stage Capitalism
April 4-5, 2025
April 4-5, 2025
Virtual
19th Annual African Film Festival
Join us for the 19th Annual African Film Festival at Washington University, taking place March 28–30, 2025. This beloved event brings the latest and best in African cinema to the St. Louis region, featuring a curated selection of films that are less than two years old and have been celebrated at international film festivals.
Washington University
"Future in Black Studies," featuring visiting scholar Dr. Lisa B. Thompson
Join us for an intellectually engaging event, "Futures in Black Studies," featuring visiting scholar Dr. Lisa B. Thompson. This event is co-hosted by the Department of African and African American Studies, American Culture Studies, and the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Equity.
Dr. Thompson will present a compelling talk titled "Art, Scholarship, & Community: Reflecting on the Past, Present, and Future of Black Studies," where she will explore the evolving landscape of Black Studies through the lenses of creativity, research, and collective action.
Dr. Thompson will present a compelling talk titled "Art, Scholarship, & Community: Reflecting on the Past, Present, and Future of Black Studies," where she will explore the evolving landscape of Black Studies through the lenses of creativity, research, and collective action.
Seigle 301
Toxic Tropics: Presentation by Jessica Oublié
African & African American Studies Department Faculty Colloquium
The Department of African and African-American Studies (AFAS) invites you to join us for our upcoming Faculty Colloquium, featuring presentations from AFAS faculty members Professor Tomos Evans and Professor Jessica Samuel. This event is an opportunity for the WashU professional community to engage with innovative research and support ongoing scholarly work within our department.
Seigle Hall, 301
"Futures in Black Studies," featuring visiting scholar Dr. Peniel E. Joseph
Join us for an intellectually engaging event, "Futures in Black Studies," featuring visiting scholar Dr. Peniel E. Joseph.
This event is co-hosted by the African and African American Studies Department, the Center for the Humanities, and the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Equity. Dr. Joseph will present a compelling talk titled:
"The Third Reconstruction: Black Studies and the Search for the Beloved Community in the Twenty-First Century."
This event is co-hosted by the African and African American Studies Department, the Center for the Humanities, and the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Equity. Dr. Joseph will present a compelling talk titled:
"The Third Reconstruction: Black Studies and the Search for the Beloved Community in the Twenty-First Century."
Seigle Hall, Room 208