The Africana Studies (formally Black Studies) is an interdisciplinary program rooted in a social, historical, and cultural context that seeks to introduce students to perspectives by and about people of the African descent that are not usually covered in traditional departments. Its curriculum helps students examine, analyze, and interpret critically the historical and contemporary experiences of Africana women and men in North America, Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere in the world.

The department organizes and sponsors the Black Studies Seminar lecture series, which addresses issues of global importance to Africana peoples. It also cooperates with other programs and departments in celebrating the Black experience and providing multicultural activities on campus throughout the academic year.