People have fought for the right to learn about marginalized and minority identities, their cultures, and their histories at WashU. People are also actively fighting against that same right. It is imperative that students from all backgrounds take classes that involve identities other than their own. Unfortunately, this is not nearly as common as it should be.

Professor El Hadji Samba Amadou Diallo discussed Islamic history and Muslim narratives in Africa and America in a Black History Month event, Feb. 23. In his lecture, Diallo talked about the intersection of Islam and race in Africa and America, highlighting the Quran’s teachings on racial diversity and equality.

As the film progresses, more hazards of this African migration are revealed. Money and jobs are hard to come by. Con men promise job security but leave hopeful migrants in debt and jobless.

In 1969, the Black Studies program was founded in response to protests by the Association of Black Students, who confronted administrators in Brookings Hall. Now, over 40 years later and under a different name, the African and African-American Studies Program has been upgraded to the status of a department.