Black History at Duke University

These collections are prepared by Duke University Archives staff to provide brief overviews of popular topics in Duke University's history. You may want to begin your research by studying the materials in these collections as a way of orienting yourself to this topic.

• Biographical Reference Collection, 1972-ongoing: Prepared by the staff of the Duke University Archives, this collection contains biographical files on Afro-American Studies/AAAS-affiliated faculty members and administrators.

• Black History at Duke Reference collection, 1948-2001 and undated

• Departments and Academic Divisions Reference Collection, 1904-ongoing: Box 1 of this collection contains documentation on the Department of Afro-American Studies dating through 2001.

In addition to the Reference Collections, primary source material on African American Studies at Duke can be found in the Archival Collections listed below.

Please note that administrative office records are restricted for a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material. To use these materials, permission must be obtained from the office of origin. Contact the University Archives staff for assistance with requesting permission!

• Department of African and African American Studies records, 1966-1981: Contains the files of two of the Department's directors.

• Office of Minority Affairs records, 1969-1993: The Administrative Records series contains materials on the development of African American Studies courses at Duke.

• Duke Student Government Records, 1983 - 2008: Includes a general file on the African and Afro-American Studies Program.

• Edgar Tristram Thompson papers, 1915-1985: Includes correspondence related to the formation of the African American Studies Program at Duke.

• Jack Preiss Papers, 1940-2012: Includes documentation on the committee tasked with creating recommendations for the Afro-American Studies Program at Duke.

• J. Deryl Hart Records, 1957 - 1980 (bulk 1960-1963): Includes materials related to a 1961 seminar on African Studies at Duke.

• Terry Sanford Records and Papers, 1945-1998: Includes Sanford's 1975 speech on "Strengthening Black Studies Program" and files on the President's Council on Black Affairs.