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ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ’s Black & Africana Studies program co-sponsors the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration each spring, as well as other dynamic programs that bring renowned artists, poets, and scholars to campus throughout the year. Explore the links on this page to learn more about events sponsored by the Black & Africana Studies program.

• Annual Picnic / Awards
• Lectures and Poetry Readings
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration
• Civil Rights Movement Speakers

Mark Broomfield will present his recently published book, Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight. It will be held Thursday, March 5th, in the Multicultural Center from 5:30-6:45pm.

Black Queer Dance celebrates the often-hidden contributions of Black LGBTQ+ people in the dance world and challenges us to examine what freedom of movement, freedom of expression and sexual freedom means in our contemporary culture, and specifically what it says about how we all move through the world.

The Black & Africana Studies Program invites submissions and nominations for the 2025-2026 best essay, research, or creative paper award. Awardees will receive a certificate and $150.

Essays can be submitted in one of these categories:

1. Best Analytical Essay

2. Best Research Paper

3. Best Creative Writing
For more information on the three categories: /english/leadership-and-hands-learning/,

Students can submit two papers on the field of Black, African, and Africana studies completed between May 2025 and April 2026. You may submit separate entries to more than one contest category, but you may submit only one entry in any category. No simultaneous submissions: you cannot submit the same piece of work to more than one category in the contest.

It is NOT necessary for the paper to have been completed as part of a BLKS course, and applicants need not be Black and Africana Studies majors or minors. Papers are read for clarity of argument, sophistication of analysis, quality of writing, and, if applicable, control of data and/or research material. The maximum length for a paper is 20 pages, including notes. Additionally, if applicable, please give a short summary (of a few sentences to a paragraph) of the context of the assignment for which the paper was written, particularly the name of the course and the gist of the assignment prompt. 

• Submit 2025-2026 ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ Writing Contest entries online at by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8. Please save the file with the name of the award (Black and Africana) and the title of your paper/project in the file name. As submissions will be judged anonymously, entrants’ names cannot appear on the manuscript.
• Upload your entry as a Word doc(x), PDF, or video file. Please do not share a Google doc, since it cannot be composed or reviewed anonymously.
• Although the Black and Africana Studies Program and the English Department organize the Writing Contest, it is open to any current ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ student, and we strongly encourage you to submit excellent writing on any RELATED subject, from any academic program.
• In 2026, winners of the Writing Contest will be honored at the CSJS social gathering on May 1 (Multicultural Center 2:30-4:30) AND the English Department awards ceremony on Study Day, Thursday, May 7.
• Please address any questions to Dr. Gillian Paku, Director of the Writing Learning Center: paku@geneseo.edu or to Dr. Susana Castillo-Rodríguez at castillos@geneseo.edu

This Award is presented for outstanding contributions to Black & Africana Studies Art/Activism/Leadership on campus or in the community in the Spring, Summer, and Fall of the previous academic year.

All nominees will be reviewed based upon:

1. a current resumé, and
2. a letter of nomination of no more than two pages that describes the organization(s) where the nominee worked (on campus, community, or otherwise), the significance of the work accomplished, and specifically how this relates to Black Studies and/or Anti-Racism Initiatives.

Nominations must be submitted by Friday, April 11th at 11:59pm via email to Caroline Woidat (at woidat@geneseo.edu).

Self-nominations are accepted and strongly encouraged. Those candidates who are nominated by others will be contacted by the committee and asked to submit a resume.