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Join us for a conversation with Martha Noonan who will discuss her book, Hands on the Freedom Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC. The program is scheduled to be held in the Milo Bail Student Center, Umoho Room at 10-10:50 am and 12-12:50 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011.

Through the Lens

UNO Group Witnesses History in Washington

A bus trip organized by the Black Studies Department traveled to Washington for the Jan. 20 inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. It is estimated that more than 1 million people turned out for the swearing in of America's 44th president.

Photos by Sharif Liwaru, Student Organizations and Leadership Programs

Through the Lens

Images from Historic Journey to Washington Continue

Click through more photos from the recent trip to Washington for the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. The Black Studies Department organized the trip, which included members of the UNO and Omaha communities.

photos by Katrina Adams

Welcome

Welcome to the Department of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  Established more than 40 years ago, Black Studies as an academic discipline was formed and sustained by student and community demand, and supportive faculty and administration.  For four decades, UNO’s Department of Black Studies has responded to the challenge of curriculum change with outstanding scholars who teach, research, and serve the local, national, and global interests of Black/Africana people locally, nationally, and globally.  Our major and minor degree programs are well-structured, comprehensive in scope, and thus provide our student-scholars with an impressive foundational knowledge while leaving room for individualized scholarly foci. 

UNO’s Department of Black Studies is devoted to the exploration and analyses of the history and culture of Black people, not just in the U.S., but around the world, offering a vast array of course offerings which analyze, critique, and discuss African and Africana experiences. Distinguished by a faculty of well-trained scholars and a programmatic structure that is both student and community-oriented, the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Department of Black Studies is comprised of a broad array of pedagogical backgrounds and disciplines, including Africology, Art, History, Music, Hip-Hop, Filmmaking, Philosophy, Religion, Social Work, Law, Education, and Communication.  

Students who major, minor, or electively take Black Studies courses learn to define the Black experience from an African-centered perspective rather than the traditional Eurocentric perspective.  This illumination of the contributions of African people to world culture corrects a traditional approach to the study of world history that has tended to bypass the African Diaspora experience. While an excellent forum for scholarly research, conversations on campus, and service to and in the community, Black Studies as an academic discipline can be utilized foundationally for all areas of social sciences, provide a background for students interested in criminal justice and social work, and provides added dimension for those seeking careers in K-12 education. In addition to an understanding, critique, and application of the African experience, by the end of their Black Studies matriculation, students will have also fostered marketable skills in writing, analysis, and presentation. 

As we continue to shape the academic discourse about how and why the Black experience is a liberating one, we invite you to consider our department as you explore your scholarly pursuits. No institution offers a better degree program in Black Studies.

Cynthia L. Robinson, Ph.D., Interim Chair
Department of Black Studies
University of Nebraska at Omaha
College of Arts and Sciences, Room 184
6001 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE  68182
402-554-2412 (ph)/402-554-3883 (fax)