African American Studies at UW-Madison

The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram by Ethelene Whitmire: 9780593654194 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books The dramatic and heartrending true story of one remarkable young man's account of love in the time of war, by a celebrated historian of untold Black stories On the eve of World War II, a handsome you...

Learn more and pre-order this book here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/723496...

...she introduces us to an unforgettable character who fled from country to country as fighting advanced, was captured by Nazis and outwitted them in a daring escape, and risked it all in a personal fight for a life of love, freedom, beauty and dignity in a world set against him." (PRH)

"Award-winning historian Ethelene Whitmire unearthed a trove of Reed’s letters when she met one of his descendants at a lecture, awed that she’d heard so little of this charismatic man and his fascinating true story of love and war. In "The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram",

Dr. Ethelene Whitmire's book cover for "The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram" features a large black and white portrait of Reed Peggram, and WWII architecture in photographs collaged behind him.

Dr. Ethelene Whitmire's latest book, "The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram", the true story of a queer, Black man living in Europe during 20th century, will be released from Penguin Random House on February 3, 2026.

Currently, her research focuses on ways to center Blackness within the physics classroom and how physics can aid in Black liberation.

Ayshea is a founding member of SoCo. Before her time at UW-Madison, she received her bachelor’s in physics with minors in Mathematics and Chemistry from Wichita State University.

We're continuing our SoulFolk Collective research fellow spotlights this week by showcasing the work of Ayshea Banes, an incoming M.A. student in African American Studies and incoming Ph.D. student in Curriculum & Instruction.

Black Madison Area residents study information form Please fill out this form with your interest in participating in our study where we will learn more about the experiences of Black Madison area residents, how you navigate space in the city, and your ...

This SoulFolk Collective study is voluntary and flexible. Your story matters.

Interested? Fill out this form (docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...), and we will contact you!

📍 Must currently live in the area for at least 30 days and identify as Black (African American, African, Afro Caribbean, Afro Latino)

📸 Optional photos & stories may be archived or published (with your permission).

🔹 Participate in a 1-hour sit-down interview or a 2-hour ride-along conversation.
🔹 Share photos and stories that illuminate what it’s like to be Black in Madison
🔹 Receive a $25 gift card for your time.
🔹 Help shape a space built for and by the Black community.

The SoulFolk Collective is partnering with The Center for Black Excellence and Culture to better understand how Black people who live in Madison experience space and culture—and to learn how The Center can support you.

Calling Black Residents of Madison, WI! 📍We want to hear your stories—how you move through and experience Madison, Wisconsin, and the surrounding areas.

africanamericanstudies.wisc.edu/soulfolk-col...

Today, we're highlighting the work and perspective of Curriculum & Instruction Ph.D. student, Izabela de Souza, a founding and invaluable member of SoCo. "Being with and researching alongside others allows us to dream and achieve collectively," de Souza shares.

This summer, research fellows in The SoulFolk Collective, the first research lab in the Department of African American Studies, are collecting data, imagery, and conducting oral history interviews in the Madison community to further their solution-based research.

Ashworth will be continuing his studies this fall in a Ph.D. program. We will miss him most fondly here at UW-Madison! Congratulations, Forrest!

Ashworth's thesis, “Black Meteorology: Sable Elyse Smith and Cameron Rowland on Anti-Black Carcerality” was defended this spring under the mentorship of Dr. Whitmire, Dr. Plummer, and Dr. Ozier.

Forrest Ashworth stands in front of University Club Building in cap and gown.

Congratulations to Master of Arts student, Forrest Ashworth, on his graduation this spring!

Watch Why Race Matters Ep. 1: The history of Black Midwesterners before the Great Migration on PBS Wisconsin Black communities existed in the Midwest long before the Great Migration. In this episode, Dr. Christy Clark-Pujara outlines how early Black residents shaped the region through labor, land ownership a...

Listen to Dr. Clark-Pujara's full conversation with Angela Fitzgerald here: pbswisconsin.org/webisode/why...

“If you wanted to understand wealth gaps among African Americans and white Americans, you need to understand history...this doesn’t just come out of nowhere.” — Dr. Christy Clark-Pujara for PBS Wisconsin

Now an Assistant Professor, she conducts research and hosts lectures on Black political engagement, mobilization, resistance, and radical imagination at the intersection of gender and class. Her work centers the voices of Black women and girls.

Dr. Andrene Wright-Johnson joined the Department of African American Studies as an Anna Julia Cooper Postdoctoral Fellow in the fall of 2023 after completing an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University.

Dr. Andrene Wright-Johnson, political scientist, poses in front of botanical garden scene.

“Theories on Black politics need a bit more color for this particular moment." — Dr. Andrene Wright-Johnson

Read more of Dr. Andrene Wright-Johnson's thoughts on Black politics in our full interview here: africanamericanstudies.wisc.edu/newsletter/

Read our alumni spotlight of Dr. Washington in our Spring 2025 newsletter here: africanamericanstudies.wisc.edu/2025/04/28/d...

“Women, especially Black women...live in the shadows of their own theories and contributions. Many people will say ‘I’m a Marxist’ or ‘I’m a Foucauldian’. Scholars who are men get the accolades and schools of thought named after them, but women don’t." — Dr. LaShawn Faith Washington

Malcolm X portrait

Martin Luther King Jr. portrait

Nelson Mandela speaking to a crowd at a podium with his right fist in the air.

Examine the biographies, political ideologies, and activism of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela in AFROAMER671: “Malcolm, Martin, and Mandela” with Dr. Sabrina Thomas this fall. Enrollment open now open for all students.

2025 marks our 55th anniversary as a department on UW-Madison's campus. In September, we will host a Symposium for our alumni, friends, and current students entitled "Celebrating 55 Years of Scholarship, Leadership, and Activism". Learn more by visiting the link in our bio.