Africana Studies at Penn

09/01/2026

Philly is celebrating 100 years of Coltrane!

John Coltrane, born on September 23, 1926, came of age in Philadelphia, the city where he found his voice, built his community, and launched a musical revolution that changed the world.

One hundred years later, Philadelphia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to honor his legacy through a coordinated, citywide celebration rooted in artistic excellence, community, and equity.

Coltrane100 Philly is a season of performances, exhibitions, education programming, and community events uniting Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, artists, organizations, and institutions around the legacy of one of our greatest sons. Coltrane100 Philly will offer coordinated programming across the city with landmark programming around Coltrane’s 100th birthday, and culminating in November with a tribute to the 60th anniversary of Coltrane’s seminal recording Offering: Live at Temple University.

This celebration is made possible through the generosity of Senator Vincent Hughes and the collaborative leadership of Jazz Philadelphia, Creative PHL, WRTI, and Ars Nova Workshop.

Aligning Philadelphia’s Jazz Community Around The John Coltrane Centennial John Coltrane, born on September 23, 1926, came of age in Philadelphia, the city where he found his voice, built his […]

08/31/2026

What does the political rhetoric in the current environment reveal about race, gender, ideology, and power in contemporary American politics?

Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Loomer of "nonstop insanity."

08/27/2026

📸 These photos are from 2017's "Under the Gun: State Violence and Black Populations", a conference from the Marginalized Populations Project in Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, which brought scholars from the Penn community together with internationally renowned scholars and activists to examine the role of organized violence in the lives of Black populations in multiple societies.

08/25/2026

Keenan Hudson reveals the challenges faced by incarcerated people who are seeking education.

Keenan Hudson is a bestselling author, transformative speaker, and founder of The Re-entry Connect Organization. Keenan Hudson's life is proof that with faith, education, and hard work — your past does not decide your future.

08/24/2026

Keenan Hudson talks about how mentors like Hilderbrand Pelzer III spoke into his life and helped him realize his potential.

Keenan Hudson is a bestselling author, transformative speaker, and founder of The Re-entry Connect Organization. Keenan Hudson's life is proof that with faith, education, and hard work — your past does not decide your future.

08/21/2026

Keenan Hudson talks about getting his act straight and learning skills while completing his prison sentence, and the invaluable mentorship of the late Chuck Africa.

Keenan Hudson is a bestselling author, transformative speaker, and founder of The Re-entry Connect Organization. Keenan Hudson's life is proof that with faith, education, and hard work — your past does not decide your future.

08/21/2026

Hear Keenan Hudson talk about how grief over intense personal loss led to a downhill turn in his life that eventually led to his arrest.

Keenan Hudson is a bestselling author, transformative speaker, and founder of The Re-entry Connect Organization. Keenan Hudson's life is proof that with faith, education, and hard work — your past does not decide your future.

08/20/2026

📸 Enjoy these photos from The Center for Africana Studies 2025 Spring Colloquium, entitled Modern Day Abolitionism: Carcerality and Black Radical Resistance through Grassroots Organizing, Prison Activism, and Spiritual Liberation. This event featured a number of incredible speakers including Timothy Malone, Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, Lydia Pelot-Hobbs, and Laura McTighe.

08/17/2026

A roundup of the latest awards and accolades for Arts & Sciences faculty in criminology, sociology, political science, Africana studies, English, and history.

08/17/2026

Happy Birthday, Marcus Garvey!

Born August 17, 1887, in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, Garvey was a pioneer and a giant in the history of Pan-Africanism.

He built a powerful global movement centered on Black pride, self-determination, economic independence, and African liberation. His revolutionary ideas influenced generations of activists and thinkers across Africa and the diaspora, and his legacy continues to shape conversations about Black freedom and global solidarity today.

His radical activism and organizing were so impactful it actually led to one of the earliest U.S. Counterintelligence operations - where the Bureau of Investigation, Military Intelligence, and the U.S. Post Office all teamed up just to undermine his movement.