Mission & Vision
Mission
The Frederick Douglass Institute and Department of Black Studies advances the interdisciplinary study of Black life, thought, culture, politics, health, and expressive practices across local, national, and global contexts. Through research, teaching, creative activity, and public engagement, we foster critical inquiry into the historical and contemporary experiences of people of African descent while cultivating new forms of knowledge that address the enduring questions and challenges of our time.
Rooted in the intellectual traditions of Black studies and inspired by the legacy of Frederick Douglass, the department is committed to scholarly excellence, community engagement, intellectual innovation, and the transformative possibilities of education. We seek to prepare students not only to understand the world but also to participate thoughtfully and ethically in its transformation.
Vision
We envision the Frederick Douglass Institute and Department of Black Studies as a leading center for interdisciplinary scholarship and public engagement that advances new ways of understanding Black life and its significance to the modern world.
We aspire to cultivate a scholarly community where rigorous inquiry, creative expression, and collaborative engagement flourish across disciplinary boundaries. By bringing together students, faculty, artists, activists, and community partners, we seek to expand the possibilities of Black studies as an intellectual project and public practice.
Guided by the legacy of Frederick Douglass, we affirm that the study of Black life is central to understanding democracy, freedom, culture, inequality, citizenship, health, and human possibility. We therefore embrace Black Studies not only as an academic field, but also as a vital mode of inquiry that illuminates the past, engages the present, and helps imagine more just futures.
Core Commitments
The Frederick Douglass Institute and Department of Black Studies is committed to:
- Intellectual and interdisciplinary rigor and scholarly excellence
- Student mentorship, belonging, and academic success
- Health, wellness, and collective well-being
- Public scholarship and community engagement
- Global and Diasporic perspectives on Black life
- Creative expression and cultural production
- Equity, justice, and democratic possibility
- Collaboration across disciplines, communities, and institutions