Chronology

1970	The Department of African Studies is established. Dr. Jacob Gordon appointed Chair of the Department.
1972	The Kansas Board of Regents approves the Baccalaureate degree in African Studies.
1977	Langston Hughes Visiting Professorship established. Student, staff and faculty exchange program established with the University of Benin, Nigeria.
1980	Dr. Jacob Gordon retires from department Chair.
1980-81	Dr. John Janzen serves as department Chair
1981	Dr. Arthur Drayton becomes the department Chair
1986	Name changed to Department of African & African-American Studies
1990-92	Receives Title VI faculty/development grant
1992-94	Receives grant renewal Department establishes a body of courtesy professors.
1994	Attains US Dept. Of Education National Resource Center (for African Studies) status with a 3-year Title VI grant. Dr. Drayton becomes both Chair and Director.
1995	Establishes the Mid-America Alliance for African Studies (MAAAS) with Dr. Drayton as first president. Dr. Sadye Logan becomes Associate Chair. First African Studies Summer Institute for Teachers held with Dr. Beverly Mack as Institute director.
1996	Dr. Drayton retires from department Chair. Dr. Peter Ukpokodu becomes Interim department Chair.
1997	Twelve teachers taken to Ghana under the Group Project Abroad under Dr. Drayton. Camellata Williams makes an award-winning video based on the experience. Dr. Ukpokodu becomes Chair of the Department and interim Director of the Center. The Department's Vision Statement is formally approved by the College for the creation and recognition of the African Studies Resource Center, the Langston Hughes African-American Studies Center, and the Institute for Haitian Studies. KU – University Gaston Berger linkage established, directed by Dr. Fiona McLaughlin.
1998	Dr. Janzen, second Chair of the Department, becomes Director of the African Studies Resource Center. Mr. Chico Herbison becomes Interim Director of the Langston Hughes African-American Studies Center. Kansas Chapter of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH) established with Dr. Gordon as Chapter President.
1999	The Department (in association with the Langston Hughes Center and the Center for Multicultural Leadership) co-organizes the National Conference of the ASALH in Detroit, Michigan, with Dr. Gordon as National Chair. KU Arabic language Summer linkage established at the Bourguiba Institute in Tunisia, directed by Dr. Mack. The Department and School of Journalism cooperatively establish a linkage with the University of Legon, Ghana, directed by Ms. Adrienne Rivers.
2000	Department hosts millennial conference of the African Literature Association (ALA) that brought two Nobel Prize winners (Wole Soyinka and Derek Walcott) and other literary luminaries from Africa and the African Diaspora. Event broadcast to a world audience by the Voice of America (VOA). Department is approved to offer five minor concentrations. Dr. Arthur Drayton, third Chair of the Department, retires from the University. Department receives a $12,000 grant for student scholarships.
2002	KU Arabic Summer Institute established at Al-Akhawayn University, Morocco, directed by Dr. Naima Omar. Department receives a $7,000 grant for student scholarships.
2003	Officials from Kenyatta University, Nairobi ( Kenya), visit the Department for talks on establishing an exchange program with KU. Department receives a $25,000 gift from Dr. Mohamed Marwa of Nigeria to establish the Marwa Africana Lecture Series. Department receives a $10,000 grant for student scholarships.
2004	The College Committee on Graduate Studies and the College Assembly approve the proposal for an MA program in African and African-American Studies. Dr. Gordon, founding Chair of the Department, retires from the University. Department receives a $23,000 grant for student scholarships and on-line advising. Undergraduate Research Forum is established, directed by Dr. Dorthy Pennington. Department receives a Lawrence Sesquicentennial Celebration grant, directed by Dr. Pennington. Department co-sponsors Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education 50 th anniversary.
2005	Department Co-Sponsors Kansas Department of Health and Environments Minority Health Conference 2005: Connecting Kansas Communities. Department receives $7,000 grant for student scholarships and online advising. Civil Rights Lecture Mini-Series coordinated by Tasha Keathley. African Arts Mini-Conference coordinated by Gitti Salami. Department sponsors Leadership Lecture, "Leading a Language Program in an African University: Arabic at Al Akhawayn", by Dr. Abdellah Chekayri.
2006	Department receives $7000 grant for student scholarships & online advising
2007	Department receives $6000 grant for student scholarships. Dr. Bryant Freeman, founding Director of Institute for Haitian Studies, retires from the University. Kansas Board of Regents approves new Graduate Certificate Program on African Studies for the Department. The program would be run for the Department through the Kansas African Studies Center.