Two African-American Academics Win Genius Awards

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation of Chicago has announced this year’s class of 22 MacArthur Fellows. The fellowships, often referred to a “Genius Awards,” offer scholars, artists, writers, and performers $500,000 in unrestricted support for the following five years. Winners also receive health insurance.

This year, two of the 22 MacArthur Fellows are African Americans.

Tiya Miles, a professor of history and professor and chair of the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan, explores the complex interrelationships between African and Cherokee people living and working in colonial America. She is the author of Ties That Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom (2005) and The House on Diamond Hill: A Cherokee Plantation Story (2010).

A graduate of Harvard University, Professor Miles earned a master’s degree at Emory University and a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.

The following video offers a brief overview of her work.

Roland Fryer is the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Professor Fryer has conducted research on the academic achievement gap between black and white students. He is also a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

A graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Professor Fryer holds a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.

Here is a video of Dr. Fryer discussing his work.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Posts in Higher Education

Terrence Mitchell was appointed executive director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. Faye Belgrave has been named vice president and chief diversity officer at Virginia Commonwealth University and Tammy Bennett is the inaugural vice president for inclusive excellence in philanthropy at the University of Cincinnati Foundation.

Federal Government Calls on States to End Funding Disparities at Black Land-Grant Universities

The federal government sent letters to 16 governors emphasizing the over $12 billion disparity in funding between land-grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their non-HBCU land-grant peers in their states. Unequitable appropriated funding of the 1890 institutions in the states ranges from $172 million to $2.1 billion.

A Trio of Black Scholars in New Faculty Roles at Universities

The City College of New York has appointed Jervette R. Ward as director of the Black Studies Program. Scotti Branton is a new assistant professor of communication at the University of Arkansas, and professor Danille Taylor was appointed director of the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum.

Shaw University to Expand Its Presence to Research Triangle Park

The collaboration will secure Shaw University a dedicated office space within Frontier RTP innovation campus, located in the heart of the city's new vibrant downtown area. The space will include private offices and an administrative area dedicated to Shaw University, as well as classroom space.

Featured Jobs