Study the cultures, histories and politics of Africa and the experiences of people of the African diaspora from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Students majoring or minoring in the intercollegiate Africana Studies program explore Africa and the experiences of people of the African diaspora and heritage from the perspectives of anthropology, art history, history, literature, psychology, religious studies and other areas. You will be exposed to a broad range of research and teaching, and choose a concentration in the arts, humanities or social sciences.
The rigor and scope of Africana Studies prepares students for careers in a variety of fields, including education, social work, public policy, law, medicine, business and international relations.
What You’ll Study
- Two introductory courses in Africana Studies
- Courses in literature, history and social science
- One course in art, music or religion
- Four courses in an area of concentration
Researching at Pomona
To Stifle or to Promote the Black Imagination: What Octavia Butler Can Teach Us About Creating Multi-Dimensional Black Characters
Nasira Watts ’23 conducted a research project this summer titled “To Stifle or to Promote the Black Imagination: What Octavia Butler Can Teach Us About Creating Multi-Dimensional Black Characters,” analyzing how the works of Octavia Butler can be used as a rulebook for non-Black writers when writing Black characters of depth.
Black Feminism and the Media
John West Jr. ’23 is focusing on Black Feminists’ work and the way that this theoretical framework is deconstructing the social construction of society. More specifically he is looking at the media as a tool of oppression reinforcing subordination through controlling images.
The Africana Studies Department is centered around community and as Black students in the 5Cs this allows us to connect ancestry to history and study the complex relationships African diaspora people have on this planet past and present.