Ibram X. Kendi Appointed Director of the Howard University Institute for Advanced Study

Ibram X. Kendi has been named director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Howard University, a historically Black educational institution in Washington, D.C. The newly established institute will focus on the study of the global African diaspora, including interdisciplinary research into race, technology, racism, climate change, and disparities.

A leading historian and scholar on the history of racism in America, Dr. Kendi comes to Howard from Boston University, where he served as the founding director of the Center for Antiracist Research and the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities. He is the author of several books, including the bestselling How to Be an Antiracist (One World, 2019) and Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (Bold Type Books, 2016), which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. His influential work has earned him a MacArthur Fellowship, commonly referred to as the “genius grant,” a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a selection as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world.

“I could not be prouder and more excited to join this illustrious and historic university,” said Dr. Kendi. “I have had my eye on the Mecca my entire career, studying its history and witnessing what Howards means to the culture. There are so many faculty on this campus whose work I deeply admire. There are so many talented students on this campus whom I am excited to support. There are so many alumni who walked those grounds and went on to shape the people, cultures, and institutions I love. This is the most fulfilling career choice I have ever made. I can’t wait to get started on our new institute.”

An HBCU graduate, Dr. Kendi earned dual-bachelor’s degrees in African American studies and journalism from Florida A&M University. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in African American studies from Temple University in Philadelphia.