The Center for African Studies was founded in 1964 to expand interdisciplinary instruction, research, and professional exchanges related to Africa. With strong support from UF and long-term U.S. Department of Education funding, it has grown from a handful of faculty and courses to become one of the country’s largest, most comprehensive African Studies centers.
Fifty years later, more than 100 faculty in 45 departments were conducting research across the continent and teaching dozens of courses. This growth has spurred development of a top African languages program and the emergence of a major library collection of African materials.
The center continues to develop a strong community of Africanist scholars critical for our understanding of Africa in the global context.
