Devoted to the breadth of experiences in the African Diaspora, Black Studies provides students with the critical tools to examine the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, class, health, nation, art, literature, ethnography, and politics.
The Black Studies Center at SUNY Old Westbury builds on this foundation by fostering interdisciplinary research, community engagement, and culturally responsive learning. Through public programs, collaborative projects, and faculty-led initiatives, the Center serves as a vibrant hub for exploring Black life, history, and creativity—on campus, across Long Island, and throughout the global African Diaspora.
Black Studies, BA
The undergraduate degree in Black Studies offers a multi- and interdisciplinary program that encourages students to ask critical questions about the diverse experiences of peoples of African descent and their relationship to the world.
African American Studies and the African Diaspora, Minor
The minor in African American Studies and the African Diaspora utilizes multi- and interdisciplinary approaches, methods, and theories to illuminate the diverse experiences of people of African descent and shifting notions of identity.
Sojourner Truth Center
As an intellectual, social and cultural space, The Sojourner Truth Black Studies Center (SOJO) advances academic excellence with substantive interaction among students, faculty, staff, alumni and local community members. SOJO welcomes students and scholars in all disciplines with the aim of fostering conversations and analyses about the history and contemporary experiences of African-descended people.