The Department of African American Studies received the Sankofa Award at the Kappa Lambda Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.'s 35th Annual Scholarship Soirée on Feb. 27 at the Community Folk Art Center in Syracuse.

The program, titled "Crescendo: Amplifying Visionary Voices," recognized the department for its support of African American students and student organizations on campus. The sorority presents the Sankofa Award to a faculty member or department that it says “relentlessly supports African American students in their endeavors at Syracuse University.”

The honor's name draws from Ghanaian tradition. Sankofa translates as: "We must go back and reclaim our past to move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today."

"We are thrilled to celebrate your contributions and the positive difference you have made in our community," the sorority wrote in its recognition of the department. "Your dedication and commitment to excellence embody the very essence of this year's theme, and we are honored to recognize your achievements."

Jackson Delivers Keynote at Harriet Tubman Day Celebration

Tanisha M. Jackson, assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies and executive director of the Community Folk Art Center, delivered the keynote address at the Harriet Tubman Day celebration in Auburn, just west of Syracuse, on March 10.

The event, organized by the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in partnership with the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center and the City of Auburn, marked the anniversary of Tubman's death on March 10, 1913. This year's theme was "Towards a More Perfect Union."

Jackson's lecture, titled "Freedom Is a Practice: Harriet Tubman, Black Women's Cultural Work, and the Making of a More Perfect Union," placed Tubman's legacy in conversation with contemporary Black women artists who build creative spaces rooted in wellness, mutual care and social transformation. The program was held at the Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn.