Distribution of African Studies Programs and Africanists in the United States: A View

from the South

Author(s): Donald E. Vermeer
Source: African Studies Bulletin, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Sep., 1969), pp. 169-176
Published by: Cambridge University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/523162
Accessed: 05-06-2017 15:24 UTC

REFERENCES
Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/523162?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents
You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted
digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about
JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://about.jstor.org/terms

Cambridge University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to
African Studies Bulletin

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 DISTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN STUDIES PROGRAMS AND AFRICANISTS
IN THE UNITED STATES: A VIEW FROM THE SOUTH

Chronicles of the African Studies Association1 and of the dev

of African studies programs2 give clear evidence that both have ac
stantive progress after a rather late arrival on the academic scene.
same time, however, mapping of both programs and Africanists e
indicates their quite restricted distribution. Consequently the imp
studies programs and scholarship on our academies and on the wid
which we are a part has been far more limited than is desirable.

The distribution of Africanists is largely related to the location and size

of African studies programs, and the distribution of both of these in turn is in-
fluenced by population distribution in the United States. Although large parts of
the United States are devoid of African studies programs and of dedicated Afri-
can scholars, they certainly are not unpopulated. Thus, awareness and under-
standing of African phenomena bypass large portions of the student and general
population, and at least some of the responsibility for ignorance about Africa
results from the spotty distribution of programs and scholars. It may be
argued that little or nothing can be done to remedy this maldistribution of
programs and scholars, but such an argument can logically be offered only after
an attempt has been made.

Sovereign African nations are indicating, and in some cases, imposing,

a research orientation toward practical studies giving promise of yielding bene-
ficial insights useful in developmental problems in the twentieth century. In
many cases the conditions most pressing on the African scene stem from rural
problems. Yet in the United States most of the programs on Africa and many of
the scholars are associated with non-rural, northern environments; it is just
possible, therefore, that the problems needing greatest attention in Africa are
those least developed and strong in our collective background of experience.3
Thus, the southern part of our country and southern institutions, which are with-
out African studies programs only partially as a result of historical and social

1L. Gray Cowan, "Ten Years of African Studies," African Studies Bulle-
tin, XII, 1 (April 1969), 1-7.
2Gwendolen M. Carter, "African Studies in the United States," African
Studies Bulletin, X, 3 (Dec. 1967), 96-108.
3Cowan, "Ten Years," pp. 4 ff.

169

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
170 AFRICAN STUDIES BULLETIN

factors, are perhaps best suited for real contributions to African d

problems; the physical environment, the rural tradition, and the ag
perience of the South closely approximate much of Africa. It might
therefore, to encourage an African orientation among southern inst
have so much to offer constructive programs for African developm

African Studies Programs

The distribution of African studies programs at academic institutions co-

incides roughly with the population distribution in the United States. Thus, the
greatest number of programs of African studies is found in the northeastern
quarter of the country (Fig. 1), from Washington, D.C. northward and from
Chicago eastward. A secondary group of programs lies along the west coast
of the United States, especially in California, where a population pole has
emerged in recent decades. What is also apparent is that large parts of the
Midwest, central South, and West offer no formal programs in African studies.

Closer scrutiny of the distributional pattern reveals six rather distinct

areas with African studies programs. One of these extends along the Atlantic
coast from Boston southward to Washington, D.C.; it reflects the metropolitan
alignment along the Atlantic seaboard states. A continuation of this group
stretches southward through the southeast coastal states of the Carolinas and
Florida.

Another, smaller group lies in upstate New York, encompassing

stitutions of the Hudson-Mohawk depression and reaching as far wes
on Lake Erie. This group of programs is somewhat removed from th
agglomeration along the Atlantic coast.

Still another cluster of institutions offering programs in Afri

centers on the area around Lake Michigan, and includes the states of
Illinois, Wisconsin, and also Minnesota. From this core area, specifically
Northwestern University, the notion of formal, institutional African studies
programs has been diffused.

A band of four programs of African studies runs from southwestern Penn-

sylvania through Ohio and Indiana to the Mississippi River at St. Louis. South of
these institutions African studies are conspicuously absent despite the consider-
able impact of African culture, tradition, and history in the South.

A rather interesting arc of institutions with programs stretches from the

Gulf coast of Texas at Houston onto the High Plains of that state and into Colo-
rado. This group is certainly one of the most isolated, but that misfortune gives
those institutions unique opportunity to serve African interests over a widespread
area; no programs of study exist immediately to the east, north, or west of those
institutions.

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 125 ,20 0'S 00 9s _______ _ 90 95 0

INSTITUTIONS OFFERING AFRICAN STUDIES PROGR

S~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I

/ ~'.~ ~ . . . . . , . I~~~-------- -- "

0~-0

21 I

I~~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5Ir

i45~~~~~ ~~~~~ ? ic
x. I ...............'k '~ ~ ! V /' ~" ' " ! I~~
: / \ , ......

30 - '-, ',' ,--" ...

00L. r, ".. ; 0 .....~ , ' 2

25~~~~~~~~~~~

4 -...

K * ~~~~~~~~~~Non-degree-granting programs
__ 225 2200 I 005 95 50 0 N0

Figure 1

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
172 AFRICAN STUDIES BULLETIN

A dispersed group of institutions offering programs lies alon

Pacific coast from Seattle southward to California where it is ancho
program at the University of California at Los Angeles.

The nature of the African studies varies greatly. Most progra

designed to augment the traditional disciplines, providing emphasis
within the traditional focus. But eleven institutions (Fig. 1) specific
degrees in African studies, and seven of these at the undergraduate
Connecticut State College, State University of New York at New Palt
Buffalo, De Pauw University, Roosevelt University, University of C
Stanford University. The remainder of the programs are directed t
graduate study: St. John's University, Howard University, Duquesn
sity, and the University of California at Los Angeles.

As interest in Afro-American studies programs accelerates, it

reasonably be anticipated that African studies programs will also gr
some cases the two programs are allied and are growing apace. In other
cases African studies may evolve as a consequence of the development of
Afro-American studies. The immediate future will likely see further increase
in the number of African studies programs, as especially undergraduate cur-
ricula undergo major renovations with greater emphasis on Afro-American
studies. The durability and significance of these developments remains to be
determined in the future; it can only be hoped that a spate of Afro- American
and African studies programs does not dilute whatever quality may have been
achieved in African studies over the past two decades.

Africanists

Students of Africa are unevenly distributed in the United States, their

distribution generally approximating that of African studies programs, with
which most Africanists are associated. As an index to the overall membership
in the African Studies Association, the 1968 roster of Fellows of the Associa-
tion was tabulated with respect to state of residence. These data were then
mapped for the United States and Canada (Fig. 2).

New York State with 124 Fellows stands well ahead of second-place
California with 76. However, the greatest concentration of Africanists appears
to be in the university and governmental center of Washington, D.C., where
71 Fellows are listed. Thereafter the number of resident Fellows in any state
drops appreciably, 45 being recorded in Massachusetts and Illinois.

Regionally, Africanists are clustered along the Atlantic seaboard from

Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. A second group centers on the Great Lakes
states, especially Illinois. And a third knot lies on the west coast in California.
A rather impressive number of Africanists coincides with the Texas-Colorado
axis.

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 11 = The number of Fellows of
the African Studies Association
resident in the state

Figure 2

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
174 AFRICAN STUDIES BULLETIN

In the conterminous United States, nine states list no Fellows of the

Association. One of these, Maine, lies in the northeastern part of the country.
Two of them, Arkansas and Mississippi, are in the south central part of the
country. The remaining six are distributed basically in the northern Rocky
Mountain region and the adjacent state of North Dakota, and in the southwest.
Hawaii, but not Alaska, also lists a Fellow of the Association.

A number of states show Fellows resident in the state, but at the same
time the state is apparently without a formal African studies program; 42
states have resident Fellows, but only 21 states plus the District of Columbia
have programs of African studies. For example, Georgia and New Hampshire
list five Fellows each, but neither state has an African studies program. The
fact that 42 states have resident Fellows while only 21 have formal programs
of African studies suggests that Africanists do not restrict themselves to
states and institutions offering programs. It further suggests that Africanists
are far more widespread than are programs. In addition, the Africanists dis-
persed throughout the United States provide a base for the development of pro-
grams in states and areas without them. And if a mechanism could be found
whereby Africanists in programless states are involved in the affairs of the
Association, as will be the case when the Association holds its 1970 annual
meeting in New Orleans, momentum might be gained in the development of
programs in those areas. This in turn would further strengthen the Associa-
tion, its members, and programs of study of Africa.

Comments and Conclusions

As has been noted with increasing regularity in recent months, t

mediate future of research in Africa appears oriented toward tackling s
real problems confronting African nations as they attempt to move abr
the twentieth century. In addition, aid programs of foundations and ag
in the United States are increasingly being aimed toward practical consi
tions relating to agriculture, economic development, and social welfare
Africa. Yet, those areas in the United States with considerably accumula
experience which are still contending with problems parallel to those in
and those institutions having potential contributions to make to the con
African scene are some of the least involved. Many of the vexing proble
facing African nations stem from their basic rurality, a characteristic
the South has traditionally had and still retains despite the burgeoning
chemical industry along the Gulf Coast.

The South is the only part of our country that has environmental
ditions closely approximating those encountered over so much of Africa
tainly our experience with the ecological relationships among climate
tion, and soils in the South has provided an understanding that has appl

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 DISTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN PROGRAMS AND AFRICANISTS 175

over much of tropical Africa: soil fertility, leaching and nutrient loss, soil
erosion under subtropical conditions, livestock rearing problems, commerc
food-crop production, etc. Likewise, disease problems of the South have
yielded insights applicable to Africa: helminthic diseases, elimination and
control of insect-borne diseases, etc. And the small-farm land tenure of much
of the South plus its relatively low educational level give parallels to problems
facing Africa. Presumably the reservoir of information and techniques from the
South have utility in the African scene.

Thus, it would appear that the institutions and people of the South repre -
sent an untapped source of technical competence and acquired experience that
would have direct value in developmental problems in Africa. For example,
Louisiana with its subtropical climatic conditions leads all states in the pro -
duction of rice and sugar cane and is one of the traditional cotton-producing
areas of the South. All three of these crops are economically important in
various parts of Africa, and they are likely to be more so in the future. And
would not a maize variety developed in Louisiana have potentially more utility
in Africa than a variety suited to Michigan? African students being trained in
the South would find environmental and some social problems closely akin to
those from which they have come.

The lack of an African interest in the South has, of course, a historical

and traditional basis stemming in part from cultural values and social attitudes.
But not all institutions and persons in the South have been similarly minded,
and much has changed in the South in the past two decades. Southern institutions
have fifty to a hundred years of working experience with food and commercial
crops that have a wide distribution in Africa. That valuable experience, prac-
tically gained by virtue of location within a subtropical environment, has enabled
some southern institutions to make major contributions to the non-African
tropics of the world. For example, the School of Agriculture of Louisiana State
University has had assistance programs in the Latin American and Asian tropics
for the past fifteen to twenty years; foreign students of all races have been on
the campus for at least that length of time.

The latent potential and contribution of the institutions and scholars of

the South might be marshaled and directed toward Africa with but little en-
couragement. This might well be done through openly involving scholars and
institutions in the South in the activities of the African Studies Association.
Periodic scheduling of the annual meetings of the Association in suitable
southern sites and asking local institutions to host and contribute to the meet-
ings might be appropriate. Or specific invitation might be tendered to scholars
in the South to involve themselves in the functions of the annual meetings.
Traditionally, the annual meetings of the Association have been held in the
urban centers of the North and are often associated with the major African

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
176 AFRICAN STUDIES BULLETIN

studies centers. This pattern is to be broken in 1970 when the southern insti-
tutions centered on New Orleans host the annual meeting. At present the
southern institutions and scholars are weakly represented and involved in the
affairs of the Association, but an African awareness and interest can certainly
be fostered through such specific encouragement by the Association. The
South has much to offer Africa, and vice versa.

Donald E. Vermeer
The Louisiana State University

This content downloaded from 186.60.183.85 on Mon, 05 Jun 2017 15:24:54 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms