Overview
The Frederick Douglass Institute and Department of Black Studies at the University of Rochester serves as a dynamic center for the interdisciplinary study of Black life, thought, culture, politics, health, and expressive practices across the Black diaspora.
Grounded in the enduring legacy of Frederick Douglass and shaped by the intellectual traditions of Black studies, the department brings together scholars whose research spans:
- Black public health
- Black digital studies
- Black feminist studies
- Black ecologies
- Afro-Latin American studies
- Black visual culture
- Performance studies
- Post-colonial theory
- African and diasporic literatures
- Black queer studies
Through teaching, research, artistic practice, and public engagement, we cultivate critical inquiry into the histories, experiences, and futures of Black communities worldwide.
As one of the University's newest academic departments, Black studies offers students rigorous interdisciplinary training while fostering intellectual creativity, civic engagement, and collaborative scholarship. Students work closely with faculty mentors, pursue innovative research, engage local and global communities, and participate in conversations that connect Black studies to some of the most pressing questions of our time.
The Frederick Douglass Institute serves as the department's public-facing center for intellectual exchange and community engagement. Through lectures, symposia, artistic collaborations, visiting scholars, and public programs, the institute extends the work of Black studies beyond the classroom and strengthens connections among the University, the city of Rochester, and broader national and international communities.
Supported by a transformative three million dollar Mellon Foundation Higher Learning grant, the department continues to expand opportunities for faculty research, student success, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public scholarship. Together, the Frederick Douglass Institute and Department of Black Studies advance a vision of Black study that is rigorous, innovative, globally engaged, and deeply committed to understanding the complexity and significance of Black life in the modern world.