Sunday, August 31, 2025
What Dismantling DEI means for African American Literary Studies
A brief take on how recent efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs threaten the institutional support and long-term viability of African American literary studies.
Related:
Producing African American literary studies for the Public
Scholars of African American literature are not always primed to reach the public at large. Much of our time and energy is understandably devoted to teaching classes, while the bulk of our publishing goes to specialized journals rather than newspapers, magazines, or other outlets designed for general audiences.
I have engaged in public programming for decades, though such work has not always been a mandate of the field. My interest partly stemmed from a desire to connect my studies of Black Arts activities to contemporary contexts. In addition, when I directed the Black Studies program for several years, I was more inclined to develop public programming than I might have been had I worked solely within English.
My work on the Black Lit Network has extended this public focus into digital fields and other realms. I have continued using this blog to share publicly oriented work, while also creating new initiatives: whiteboard animations, video essays, the Literary Navigator Device (previously known as the Novel Generator Machine), a Literary Data Gallery featuring data visualizations, a random generator for novel dedications, a podcast series, and more.
Together, these developments allow me to present African American literary studies to the public in new and exciting ways.
Related:
Saturday, August 30, 2025
Kickoff Event for SIUE Reads
There was laughter. There were fellowships. There were expressions of gratitude. There was the humming of a jazz tune. We had it all on August 26 at the kickoff event for SIUE Reads, our campus-wide reading project.
SIUE Reads is sponsored by the Hansen Humanities Network, made possible by a generous gift from Stephen and Julia Hansen.
At the opening event, we, the organizers, offered brief remarks, and the Hansens shared a few words about their gift.
It just so happened that we also had a special guest: my faculty mentor, Eugene B. Redmond. To pay tribute to him, I opened my remarks by humming Miles Davis’s "All Blues," a song Redmond had often hummed to open his readings.
More than 50 students attended the event. They mingled, received personalized “Welcome to SIUE Reads” notes I prepared for each of them, and picked up one of the following book selections: Ta-Nehisi Coates's Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet (2016), Jessica Nabongo's The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World (2022), Erika Engelhaupt's Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science (2021), or Joy Harden Bradford's Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community (2023).
Related:
The Presence of Katherine Dunham and Judith Jamison Exhibit
Panels paired concise reflections on Jamison and Dunham with original poems and kwansabas by Angel Dye, Cindy N. Reed, and Danielle N. Hall, while introducing the kwansaba as a modern African American poetic form.
Related:
Collegiate Black Men as Forgotten Readers Exhibit
On August 27 and 28, we hosted our exhibit "Forgotten Readers," highlighting the reading journeys of first-year collegiate Black men. Framed by Elizabeth McHenry’s call to “look in new directions," the exhibit challenged the habit of overlooking reading identities among African Americans.
Related:
Public Programming Fall 2025
Here's a run down of our fall 2025 public programming.
• August 26: Kickoff event for SIUE Reads
• August 27 and 28: Collegiate Black Men as Forgotten Readers Exhibit
• August 27 and 28: The Presence of Katherine Dunham and Judith Jamison Exhibit
Related:
Storytelling as Foundations for Black Poetry and Literary Studies
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| Jerry W. Ward and Eugene B. Redmond preparing for discussion in East St. Louis, February 2005 |
Just as important was Donald Garcia, whom I met in New York City in spring 1998 while participating in an exchange program at NYU. He opened worlds of books and bookstores to me. Later, I encountered Ben McFall, the Oracle of the Strand, who generously passed along a wealth of stories and information.
They were not the only ones who shared knowledge about authors, books, essays, and ideas, but they were foundational. Their storytelling shaped the way I entered and understood Black poetry and literary studies.
I'm taking note of the storytelling and the sharing and the passing along of information because I realized that we don't talk about it enough in our discussions of intellectual development or in discussions about training in the field of African American literary studies.
We understandably place a lot of emphasis on "reading." That makes sense. People should be reading. But there are so many important side stories, unpublished footnotes, eye-witnesses accounts, and so forth that, while vital, do not make it onto the official record.
Now, even as I raise this issue, I know there are problems and challenges. In many cases, there are only a few scholars of African American literature in English departments. So often, there are no opportunities to hear stories and direct information. Folks will come up not knowing that they are missing things.
Early on, I had no idea that it was unusual that Professor Ward spent so much out-of-class time talking to me about the histories of Black poetry. He and Garcia normalized it to a degree that I almost expected or sought our such conversations from my teachers in grad school and then from my mentor when I became a professor.
I realized along the way that such conversations weren't normal or normalized. In fact, I understood how rare it was. But when and if we as a field view those things as really important, then perhaps we can find ways to embed aspects of them along the educational and career paths of graduate students and junior scholars.
Related:
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Reading Ta-Nehisi Coates's Black Panther
Coates is widely known as a journalist, book author, and commentator. Less often noted, however, is that his run on Black Panther from 2016 to 2021 marked a defining moment in the history of African American creators in comics.
I'm looking forward to our weekly gatherings this semester, where we'll cover both the writing and artwork of Black Panther.
I suspect some people may be surprised to see a comic book as a featured selection for our reading group. Comics aren't always viewed as "serious" literature, right? But through years of reading, researching, and teaching on the subject, I've found that comics offer both playful and profound engagements with words, images, and ideas.
Plus, in the hands of a writer like Coates, you can expect a Black Panther storyline that addresses fascinating and complex topics. Paired with the striking artwork of Brian Stelfreeze, Chris Sprouse, and a talented team of additional creators, the series delivers a visually and intellectually compelling reading experience.
Related:
Following in the Footsteps of a Globe-Trotting Black Woman
Nabongo’s work is a vibrant travel memoir chronicling her quest to become the first Black woman to visit every country in the world. Along the way, she offers powerful reflections on identity, culture, and the transformative potential of global exploration.
Every fall semester since 2008, I’ve taught an African American literary and cultural studies course for first-year Black women at the university. Beyond supporting the students in my class, I’m always looking for ways to create learning and community-building opportunities for Black women navigating the university on their way to graduation.
Too often, when I talk with the sisters on campus, they share that there aren’t many activities designed with them in mind. I ask, “What do you do?” An all too common answer is, “I go to class, then go back to my room and sleep.” I hear it again and again, and each time, it stings.
That’s why I’m especially excited to create regular gatherings this semester as part of SIUE Reads. It feels important, and urgent, to introduce young sisters to Nabongo’s journeys and insights, offering them stories that inspire curiosity, confidence, and boundless movement.
Related:SIUE Reads
SIUE Reads is a humanities program that advances a dynamic reading culture by connecting students, faculty, and staff through free books, engaging discussions, and shared resources. We coordinate weekly gatherings where readers come together to discuss books. We also distribute copies so participants can read and share on their own. The project also includes occasional podcast episodes featuring the experiences and lessons learned from readers.
EntriesSIUE Reads is made possible by a generous gift from Stephen and Julia Hansen.
Monday, August 11, 2025
How Dana Williams and Judith Jamison, Inspired an Enhanced Environment at SIUE
These images of Jamison, projected in vivid, larger-than-life scale on the big screen, were stunning.
I was inspired, and I began thinking about ways to give students at SIUE a similar experience.
As soon as I returned to campus, I drafted a short proposal for library officials, highlighting the importance of “enhanced environments” and the role of the Eugene B. Redmond Reading Room. In particular, I requested a larger, higher-quality screen for viewing and improved speakers for audio.
Somehow, it worked. The library dean and associate dean were supportive, and now one of the rooms where I host exhibits and presentations has received significant tech upgrades. Williams, and those unforgettable images of Judith Jamison, had sparked a transformation.
Related:
From the Novel Generator Machine to the Literary Navigator Device
On Friday, August 8, we quietly rolled out a major update to our Black Lit Network project. The first visible change came on July 29, when we replaced "Novel Generator Machine," the portal’s original name, with "Literary Navigator Device."
From October 11, 2021, until July 28, 2025, we ran the Novel Generator Machine as a resource offering users recommendations of novels by Black writers based on their preferences and interests. On July 28, I met with Meg Smith, interim director of the IRIS Center, and Dan Schreiber, IRIS web developer, to discuss broader updates to the main site.
A key expansion involves broadening our focus beyond novels to also feature short stories, poems, comic books, autobiographies/memoirs, and essays. When the news concerning the Mellon grant was released on July 29, we figured we'd get an increase in traffic, so we decided to make the change from Generator Machine to Navigator, even though the results still only showed novels.
Over the last week, we worked to create a preliminary version of the updated database for the Navigator. Kenton Rambsy and Jade Harrison collaborated on a dataset of approximately 140 short stories by Black writers. I created datasets of 86 poems, 30 autobiographies/memoirs, 25 comic books, and 12 essays.
Related:
A Timeline of Technical Components and Production Milestones for Black Lit Network
2021
• October 7: First version of the Black Lit Network homepage launches.
• October 7: The prototype for the Literary Data Gallery launches.
• October 7: Mellon Foundation funds Black Lit Network digital resource
• October 11: First version of the Multithreaded Literary Briefs launches.
• October 11: First version of the Novel Generator Machine launches.
2022
• March 18: First compositions for Literary Data Gallery posted.
• March 18: First whiteboard animation (Black Lit Network trailer) is released on YouTube.
• June 28: Remarkable Receptions podcast releases batch of first 15 episodes.
• December 16: Remarkable Receptions podcast releases 50th episode.
2023
• January 24: First batch of Multithreaded Literary Briefs released.
• August 1: First Audio-visual gallery (Neo-Slave Narratives: Briefs) is released.
• October 17: First Random Generator (Black Novel Dedications) is released.
• December 26: Remarkable Receptions podcast releases 100th episode.
2024
• September 20: First video essay (Remarkable Receptions trailer) associated with the project is released.
• October 10: Video essay, "The Remarkable Reception of The Underground Railroad" is released.
• October 21: Remarkable Receptions podcast releases 150th episode.
• December 16: Remarkable Receptions podcast releases 200th episode.
2025
• July 29: $1.6M Mellon grant to support expansion of Black Lit Network announced.
• July 29: Label change of "Novel Generator Machine" to "Literary Navigator Device."
• August 8: First Navigator update with short stories, poems, autobiographies/memoirs, comic books, essays.
Related:
Developing the Black Lit Network
2025
• December 25: Related Works and the Literary Navigator
• December 7: Afrofuturism and the Black Lit Network
• October 28: Poetry Tracker and Black Lit Network
• October 23: How Readers Search When They Search
• October 21: A Reluctant DH Scholar
• October 20: The Invisible Work Behind Building the Black Lit Network
• August 11: From the Novel Generator Machine to the Literary Navigator Device• July 29: Black Lit Network in the news
An IRIS Timeline
Here's an abbreviated timeline of SIUE's DH Center, known as IRIS. See fuller history here.
• Fall 2008: Jessica DeSpain and Kristine Hildebrandt join SIUE faculty.
• 2009–10: CAS Roundtable, led by DeSpain and Hildebrandt, explores digital humanities center feasibility.
• Spring 2010: IRIS co-founded by DeSpain and Hildebrandt; among first master’s institutions with such a center.
• 2015: Hires first staff member, Kayla Hays.
• Spring 2016: The interdisciplinary minor in Digital Humanities and Social Sciences is approved.
• Spring 2017: Katherine Knowles becomes IRIS Center Project Manager.
• Fall 2017: Ben Ostermeier joins as IRIS Center Technician.
• Fall 2018: IRIS moves to larger space on Peck Hall’s second floor.
• Fall 2019: Zachary Riebeling appointed Assistant Research Professor.
• Spring 2021: Margaret Smith becomes Research Assistant Professor.
• Fall 2021: Mellon Foundation funds Black Lit Network digital resource, with Rambsy as Co-Pi.
• Fall 2022: Community‑Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars (CODES) program, led by DeSpain, launches.
• Fall 2024: Mellon funds $1M grant to support development of CODES program led by DeSpain.
• December 2024: Dan Schreiber becomes IRIS Center web developer.
• Spring 2025: Margaret Smith appointed Interim Director, IRIS Center.
• Fall 2025: Mellon funds $1.6 grant to support extension of the Black Lit Network, led by Rambsy.
SIUE's DH Center and the Black Lit Network
[Related: An IRIS Timeline]
It's worth noting from where I sit that it would've been no way for me to make the case that SIUE serve as the home for this $1.6M Mellon grant for Black Lit Network.
The groundwork for the first proposal for the Black Lit Network started taking shape in practical ways for me in early 2021. That was before we submitted the proposal. But I was brainstorming with DeSpain and Hildebrandt and then working on prototypes with Margaret Smith, the then newly hired Research Professor for IRIS.
We did some trial and error sites and a few other projects, all of which served as the basis for what I pitched to the larger group applying for the first phase of our Mellon grant. During the three-year grant, we continued building and refining, all of which led us to the point we are now where we're ready to expand and enhance the Black Lit Network project.
Related:
A Notebook on IRIS
2025
• August 11: An IRIS Timeline
• August 11: SIUE's DH Center and the Black Lit Network
2023
2022
• May 22: Those weekly IRIS Center meetings
2021
2017
• December 9: Digital East St. Louis showcase2016
• February 23: Upcoming Digital East St. Louis Exhibit
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Black Poetry after the Black Arts Movement as A Whole Vibe
By Sequoia Maner
I think back to all the small moments of intimacy and connection, moments formative to the shaping of my professor self.
I debuted a contrapuntal poem with Evie Shockley in the room, a flexing of my will toward poetic mastery witnessed by the master herself. I'll never not follow in Shockley's wake. I talked the contours of beingness with Kevin Quashie in our dormitory living room over Chinese takeout. When he dropped Black Aliveness and reoriented an entire discipline of black studies toward alternate worldmaking, I was not surprised; rather, I was humbled to have witnessed a small bloom of his canonicity. I stumbled across trauma yet-to-be-healed during a creative-critical workshop facilitated by Meta DuEwa Jones. Since then, I have dug deep to unearth remnants left by motherlessness and I am working on a full length poetry collection about the child welfare system in the United States, giving voice to those left scarred and bereft.
That is to say, I would not be the writer I am today nor the writer that I am always becoming without the NEH institute "Black Poetry after the Black Arts Movement." Following the institute, I published scholarship about Patricia Smith, Kendrick Lamar, Jayne Cortez, funk music, protest in black poetics, and the centrality of elegy in black writing. Organizers can rest assured that the goals of the institute are being met. We made alliances as co-conspirators. We are calibrated to the righteous, liberating, and needful nature of Black poetry. We are moving and we are doing.
Onward.
P.S. Gratitude for carving space to include graduate students in the institute. I am honored to have attended, cloaked in all my naivete and youth.
Friday, August 1, 2025
Blogging about poetry in July 2025
[Related content: Blogging about Poetry]
• July 26: You forgot to tell Evie Shockley how she unknowingly sparked all that Black poetry commentary
• July 26: Jerry W. Ward, Jr. and Black Poetry
• July 1: Blogging about poetry in June 2025
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