University Libraries and CAAAS celebrate year-long fellowship with keynote event
The University Libraries and the Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) invite the campus community to a special lunchtime event on March 10, 2025, celebrating the achievements of the first cohort of CAAAS Fellows and featuring a keynote address from scholar Rachel Elizabeth Harding. Registration is required.
Prof. Rachel Elizabeth Harding
The event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. in the Center for British and Irish Studies at Norlin Library. Harding, a poet, historian, and scholar of Afro-Atlantic diaspora religions, is an associate professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado Denver. Harding writes about religion, creativity and social justice in the experience of communities of African descent in the US and Brazil.
Harding’s honors include a Colorado Black Roundtable Civil Rights Award, a Cave Canem Poetry Fellowship, the Sterling Brown Distinguished Visiting Professorship at Williams College, the Rosa Parks Award from the University of Colorado Denver, and an honorary doctorate from the Starr-King School for the Ministry.
The CAAAS Fellowship, a collaboration between University Libraries and CAAAS, supports graduate students conducting research and creative work in African, African American, and African diaspora studies. Fellows receive funding for travel, access to unique collections, and dedicated librarian support to advance their scholarship.
A hallmark of the CAAAS Fellowships is that it is interdisciplinary and reaches across campus to bring graduate students together, providing both support and a sense of community. The first group of graduate student fellows are scholars from disciplines such as law, media studies, history, philosophy, music, and dance. CAAAS supported the students financially and facilitated them working with each other and learning how different academic disciplines approach research.
Applications for the 2025-2026 CAAAS Fellowships are now open, with a deadline of March 1.
Top, from left to right: Reya Roussel, Antoinette Kendrick, Idowu Odeyemi, Trevor Egerton, Success Osayi
Middle, from left to right: Nandi Pointer, Tyreis Hunte, Ubochi Igbokwe
Bottom, from left to right: Dean of Libraries, Robert H. McDonald; Dean of Social Sciences, Sarah E. Jackson, Director of CAAAS, Dr. Reiland Rabaka; Dean of the Graduate School, E. Scott Adler.