In 2017, Duke University commemorated 50 years of Black faculty scholarship with a series of lectures. These events gave Dr. Gustavo Silva, who had just joined Duke as an assistant professor of Biology, a chance to connect with fellow Black faculty members across campus.Grateful for a chance to build a network, Silva recognized that there were likely other Black scholars at Duke still looking to create a network. And he felt they shouldn’t have to wait for a big anniversary celebration to do it.That’s why Silva and… read more about Black Think Tank: Fostering the Advancement of Black Scholars »
The National Gallery of Art features Richard J. Powell (AAHVS), who will explore the concept of “colorstruck,” a 20th-century term addressing prejudice against people with darker complexions, in the 71st annual A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts. The six-part series examines how colors—chromatic interactions in paintings and the sociocultural dynamics of race—collide in unanticipated ways. read more about Richard J. Powell (AAHVS): Colorstruck! Painting, Pigment, Affect, The 71st A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts »
Annette Joseph-Gabriel (Romance) joined the Department of Romance Studies in 2022 as an associate professor. She was recently interviewed at her home in Durham about her research, her current projects, her approach to teaching, and what brought her to Duke. Read the full interview on Duke Romance Studies read more about Dr. Annette Joseph-Gabriel (Romance) Shows How Black Women Offer New Ways of Thinking »
Reverend Luke Powery (Divinity), the Duke University Chapel dean, was one of four Duke leaders to offer insights about safety and the road ahead with COVID-19. As we approach a post-pandemic world, we asked Duke leaders what we can expect in this new phase of the pandemic, and how we can stay safe and recover from a challenging two years. read more about Reverend Luke Powery was part of Q&A in What’s Next for the Pandemic? »
Dr. Erica Taylor, MD, (SoM) is featured in Duke University School of Medicine as Duke’s first Black female orthopaedic surgeon, chief of surgery at Duke Raleigh Hospital, and an influential leader within the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) realm at Duke. read more about Undeterred: Erica Taylor Embraces Being a Role Model and Changemaker in Diversity and Inclusion »
Sexual and gender minorities fighting to get basic health care also face life-threatening knowledge deficits – even if they have a doctor. “We've got people who are fighting for their lives, fighting for the ability to access health care at all, fighting to be seen, and we’re realizing we don't even understand what lab values a physician is supposed to reference for diabetes screenings, or for medications for transgender and other gender diverse patients,” Professor Kate Whetten said. Whetten, a population health… read more about Care, Understanding, Agreement: Seeking a Path Forward in Sexual and Gender Minority Health »
Joseph Winters is the recipient of the 2022 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Joseph Winters is the Alexander F. Hehmeyer Associate Professor of Religious Studies and African and African American Studies. He completed his Ph.D. at Princeton University and his bachelor’s at Harvard University. He has written dozens of articles and book chapters and has shared his work at multiple conferences and presentations. He has authored two books: Hope Draped in Black: Race, Melancholy, and the Agony of Progress and… read more about Joseph Winters: Recipient of 2022 Dean's Awards »
Chinemerem Nwosu is a third-year medical student at Duke University and co-founder of the Black Maternal Health Equity Initiative. She is a 2021-22 A.C. Reid Schweitzer Fellow. Chinemerem Nwosu was featured on WRAL about the treatment of Black pregnant women by medical professionals and the changes that need to be made. "The medical community must develop and improve strong listening skills to support Black pregnant women in ways that encourage them to share concerns and seek answers without feeling judged or having to… read more about Chinemerem Nwosu: Black women are not angry. They just want you to listen »
Duke Health Associate Vice President for Community Health Debra Clark Jones and Director of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture Dawna Jones is celebrated and identified as figures who loomed large in their journeys at Duke as leaders during Women's History Month. read more about Women’s History Month on a Personal Level »
Norbert L. W. Wilson (Divinity) will become the new director of the World Food Policy Center (WFPC) and also professor of public policy in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University starting July 1, 2022. Wilson is president-elect of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA). AAEA is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with members in more than 60 countries. His research explores food system issues such as food access, equity, choice… read more about Congrats to Norbert L. W. Wilson (Divinity) on Becoming the New Director of the World Food Policy Center (WFPC) »
North Carolina-based playwright and actor Mike Wiley will join the Kenan Institute for Ethics as Artist in Residence for a three-year appointment effective March 1, 2022. A graduate of the University of North Carolina’s M.F.A. program in acting and 2017 winner of its Distinguished Alumni Award, Mike Wiley writes, directs, and performs dramas, many of them based on key events and figures in African American history. He embodies dozens of characters in his one-man shows, tours throughout North Carolina and the United States… read more about Mike Wiley to join Kenan Institute for Ethics as Artist in Residence; Will Co-Direct America’s Hallowed Ground »
Duke colleagues share strategies for beating self-doubt and building confidence. nto her 40s, Dr. Valerie Ashby had what would be considered a successful career at any institution. She had been promoted to full professor and was on her way to becoming chair of the Chemistry Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her alma mater. “I have the job of my dreams. I’m back at my home institution, living my best life,” said Ashby, now 55 and Dean of Duke Trinity College of Arts & Sciences… read more about Dr. Valerie Ashby: HOW TO OVERCOME IMPOSTOR SYNDROME »
Duke neuroscientists discuss the challenges and technological achievements that help us better understand our complex brain. Alison Adcock, MD, PhD, the moderator for the very first panel event of Research Week 2022, “Advancing Neuroscience,” opened the discussion with a vivid summation of why this particular subject holds such fascination for researchers. Read more here. Watch Dr. Kafui Dzirasa and three other Duke experts talk about the intersection of engineering, psychiatry,… read more about Dr. Kafui Dzirasa: Advancing Neuroscience: Probing New Questions, Tools, and Promise in Brain Science »
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine appointed Duke Professor Charmaine Royal as co-chair of a newly formed committee addressing challenging issues surrounding the use of “race” and other population labels in human genetics research. Royal is the Robert O. Keohane Professor of African & African American Studies, Biology, Global Health, and Family Medicine & Community Health. She also serves as director of Duke’s Center on Genomics, Race, Identity, Difference and the Duke Center for Truth,… read more about Charmaine Royal: Royal Named Co-Chair of National Academies Panel on Race and Genetics Research »
Paula D. McClain will complete her service as dean of The Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at the conclusion of her term in 2022. A professor of political science and public policy who is internationally regarded for her work on race, ethnicity and politics, McClain was initially appointed in 2012, becoming the first Black dean of a school at Duke. The Graduate School is home to 3,500 master’s and Ph.D. students enrolled across more than 80 departments and programs at Duke. During her 10-year tenure… read more about GRADUATE SCHOOL DEAN PAULA D. MCCLAIN TO CONCLUDE SERVICE THIS YEAR »
Quinton Dixie learned a lot about the Black church by sitting in the pew as a young boy while his grandfather preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Rev. John Dixie Jr. guided the church from the early 1930s until 1974, including leading the church through the turbulent 1960s. Dixie’s current academic and research interests reflect his cultural legacy. He specializes in American religious history and has written on a wide range of topics—from the African American civil rights movement to the history of… read more about Quinton Dixie: Quinton Dixie Understands the Value of a Cultural Legacy »
Congratulations to all the Samuel DuBois Cook Society Awards. William A. Darity Jr., professor of public policy, African and African American Studies and economics and the director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, received the Raymond Gavins Distinguished Faculty Award. Among Darity’s research focuses are inequality by race, class and ethnicity, stratification economics, schooling and the racial achievement gap, the history of economics, and the social-psychological effects… read more about FIVE HONORED BY COOK SOCIETY FOR SERVICE TO DUKE AND DURHAM »
A Duke graduate who returned to Durham to launch the Beyu Caffe and made the restaurant an important place of culture and community received the Distinguished Service Award at the Samuel DuBois Cook Society Awards Tuesday night. Bolden and William A. Darity Jr. were a couple of five total members of the Duke and local community celebrated Tuesday at the Cook Society dinner. The hybrid event presented the awards in-person to the honorees but was streamed live for others to watch. The mission of the Cook Society is to… read more about William A. Darity Jr.: Five Honored by Cook Society for Service to Duke and Durham »
The research, published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, defines white privilege as economic and social advantages white people experience due to their race that racial minorities do not experience. “Racial inequity can be described in different ways – it may offer advantages for some and disadvantages for others,” said author Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, a professor of management and organizations at Fuqua. “Few people would challenge that racial minorities encounter disadvantages,… read more about Dr. Ashleigh Rosette: WHITE MEN SEE WHITE PRIVILEGE MORE CLEARLY IF THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SOCIAL DISADVANTAGES »
Chantell Evans, PhD, an assistant professor of cell biology in the School of Medicine, has been selected to receive a 2022 Sloan Research Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The two-year, $75,000 fellowships are awarded annually to early career researchers in recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions in their field. Read more here. read more about Congratulations to Dr. Chantell Evans, a 2022 Sloan Research Fellow! »
"I think it’s a good moment for African American artists,” painter Beverly McIver told me recently as we dined at an upscale Italian restaurant near her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Obama presidency and the cultural engagement that followed in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement pushed anti-racist tomes onto bestseller lists and shot the prices of works by Black painters such as Obama portraitists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald into the stratosphere. But despite an award-laden career and a prestigious… read more about Beverly McIver: PAINTER BEVERLY MCIVER'S ART IS NOT SAFE »
The Kennedy Library and GBH partner for an exclusive preview and discussion of the new PBS American Experience documentary The American Diplomat. Ambassador (Ret.) Aurelia Brazeal, Director Leola Calzolai-Stewart and Duke professor of history Adriane Lentz-Smith discuss the film and explore the experience of African American diplomats serving during the Cold War with American Experience … read more about Adriane Lentz-Smith: THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT »
Painter Beverly McIver (AAHVS) is interviewed and featured by ANDSCAPE. She discusses how her paintings aren’t safe. She often paints herself in blackface. She plays with other racial tropes, including watermelons and the role of Black domestic workers in white households. About 50 of her works will be on display beginning Saturday at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art — McIver’s first career retrospective. Curated by Scottsdale Public Art director Kim Boganey, the retrospective is titled Beverly… read more about Painter Beverly McIver’s (AAHVS) art is not safe »
Dr. Ragan Johnson featured in HealthCentral discussing national HIV infection rates in Black woman. “There are structural systems like racism and sexism that don’t highlight women and see women as objects of sex and not participants in sex,” says Johnson. In what many saw as a glaring example of gender discrimination, back in 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Descovy, an HIV prevention drug, for gay males and transwomen. Despite the rapid increase in HIV cases among Black women, the drug was not… read more about Dr. Ragan Johnson featured in HealthCentral »
Duke professors Shaundra (Shani) B. Daily and Nicki Washington were among the people recognized Tuesday by NC Gov. Roy Cooper as Black leaders and organizations in the science, technology, engineering and math fields who are doing critical and innovative work that is helping communities across the state. “North Carolina is a stronger state thanks to the contributions of many talented Black leaders, including those who work in STEM fields and who deserve recognition,” Governor Cooper said. “As we celebrate their… read more about NC GOVERNOR HONORS TWO DUKE FACULTY AS BLACK LEADERS IN STEM »
Duke Faculty Advancement Seed Grants support efforts to build inclusive campus communities Improving Departmental Climate and Building Community at DUSON Through Increasing Cultural Intelligence Lead: Michelle Webb, Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Nursing Co-Lead: Brigit Carter, Clinical Professor, Associate Dean of Diversity & Inclusion, School of Nursing Building on work done within the Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) community as part of its Racial Justice Task Force… read more about 13 Faculty Led Projects to Foster Equitable Communities in Departments and Schools »
When Michaeline Crichlow moved from her native St. Lucia to upstate New York, she had a lot to learn — and not just in the graduate program she attended at Binghamton University. “I became a Black person not in the Caribbean, but in the United States,” said the professor and interim chair of African & African American Studies. Race wasn’t often discussed in St. Lucia, where the vast majority of the population is Black. The rare times it was, the conversation wasn’t about Black and white, but the Indo-Caribbean peoples… read more about Dr. Michaeline Crichlow: WHAT DECOLONIZATION MEANS »
From China to modern Palestine, from Renaissance Europe to Reagan’s America of the 1980s, new books by Duke faculty will take you on a fascinating journey through time and space. We present a selection of books published in late 2021. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be purchased through the Gothic Bookshop. View them all here. read more about DANCE, SPIRITUALITY AND BLACK ARTISTS: BOOKS BY DUKE AUTHORS WARM THIS WINTER »
The Franklin Humanities Institute’s Faculty Book Manuscript Workshop Program provides support for the development and completion of scholarly monographs. It provides a structure for generating constructive, informed criticism on near-final book manuscripts, at a moment in the writing process when authors can most effectively utilize feedback. The aim of the program is to transform already excellent scholarly projects into superior published works. The deadline is February 8, 2022 by 5 pm. Learn more here. … read more about CFP: Faculty Book Manuscript Workshops (Spring 2022) »
In the spirit of Woodson, Working@Duke is showcasing the contributions of six Black staff and faculty at Duke — Samuel DuBois Cook, Mary Lou Williams, John Hope Franklin, Brenda Armstrong, Oliver Harvey, and Phail Wynn — all of whom blazed a trail during their time that resonates in communities today. Learn more about them here. read more about BLACK HISTORY MONTH: SHOWCASING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SIX FACULTY AND STAFF »