From the Nominator

Founded in 1969, Tufts University’s Africana Center was established in recognition of the needs and concerns of students of African descent on a predominantly white campus. Over the past 50 years, the center has worked to enhance the academic mission of the university, ensuring that students of African descent have access to the resources they need to thrive. In October 2019, Tufts University marked the center’s 50th anniversary with a weekend program designed to celebrate black excellence at Tufts, to build connections across generations of alumni and students, and to inspire future support of the center and its mission.

From the Judges

We applaud the Africana Center for celebrating in a way that was highly inclusive and addressed the interests of generations of students whose experiences at Tufts were very different. They produced an event that not only honors the past 50 years but also sets a much more prominent role for the center that will undoubtedly enhance the Tufts experience for generations to come.