About the Afro-American Cultural Center

Emerging in response to student initiative and creativity during the 1960’s, the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale University seeks to develop an environment in which cultural diversity is understood and respected throughout the campus community and beyond. In October, 2004, the Center celebrated its 35th Anniversary with over 400 black alumni in attendance - the largest gathering of Yale black alumni in the history of the University.  During that time, an Endowment was established for the Center of over $500,000. The Ogilvie, Robinson, DeChabert Leadership Endowment is named after three Black men who founded the Center and African-American Studies while students at Yale in the 1960’s.  The Endowment provides a number of leadership development and service projects for students and alumni.

The Center supports Yale University’s mission to respond to the cultural, intellectual, developmental and social needs of a complex and diverse student body by incorporating undergraduate, graduate and professional students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and members of the New Haven community into a constituency of common interests. Symbolizing “home” for those who aspire to greater understanding and appreciation of African-American, Afro-Caribbean and African culture, the Center and its student organizations provide a wide range of academic support and advisement, leadership skills training, and cultural/socio-political programming.  Events such as lectures, academic advising, poetry slams, cultural center ‘teas’, plays, political forums, career planning, tutoring and mentoring of youth in New Haven, and a host of stimulating activities take place regularly.  Among the annual events are:

Black Student Welcome Reception, BBQ and Open House; Academic Survival Skills and Support Services; Leadership Development;  Intercollegiate Black Solidarity Conference; Black Leaders and Artists Lecture Series; Parents’ Weekend Classical Music Recital; Yale/Harvard Game Activities; Alumni Career Panels; Study Abroad Info Sessions;  Film Series and Movie Nights, Black Alumni/Undergraduate Mentoring Program;  Kwanzaa; Bi-Weekly Study Breaks; Theatre/Drama Series; Dance Workshops; Art Gallery Exhibits; Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration; Black History Month Celebration; Achievement Awards Banquet and Black Graduates’ Celebration. 

Through the years we, along with our resident groups have hosted and co-sponsored such speakers as August Wilson,  Paul Rusesabagina, Keith Beauchamp, Bobby Seale, Mutabaruka, Branford Marsalis, Paule Marshall, Nikky Finney, Stacyann Chin,  DJ Renegade, Kate Rushin, Thomas Glave, Juan Williams, Prof. Elizabeth Alexander,  Warrington Hudlin, Quincy  Troupe,  Spike Lee,  Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Aaron McGruder, Kathleen Cleaver, Hon. Bill Dyson,  Na’im Akbar, Helen Zia,  Lani Guinier, Henry Louis Gates, Tavis Smiley,  Dean Kurt Schmoke, Dr.  Ben Carson,  Suheir Hammad, Dr. Ruth Simmons, Hon. Andrew Young,  Hon. Walter Fauntroy,  Danny Glover, Hon. Toni Harp,  Dr. Marion Wright-Edelmen,  Hon. Julian Bond, and Randall Robinson, to name a few.

The programs, services and activities of the Afro-American Cultural Center are administered by the director, who also serves as an assistant dean of Yale College. Assistance in conducting the Center’s affairs is provided by two graduate student assistants, and a team of ten undergraduate student staff members. With a cadre of student peer counselors (peer liaisons), the assistant dean/director offers academic advising, personal counseling, guidance, referral, and problem-solving services. In addition, the staff produces a bi-monthly newsletter entitled 211 Park Street and bi-annual an intercollegiate magazine: Black Ivy.  All members of the Yale community are welcome.

The Black undergraduates at Yale comprise approximately 8.1% of the undergraduate population (roughly 515 students) and the Center enjoys over 300 students and community residents who utilize the Center each week.  Our facility is a four-story structure located in the “arts corridor” of Yale and is next to two residential colleges.  The Center includes two very large multi-purpose rooms, administrative offices, tutoring rooms, a kitchen, game room, library, art exhibit space, and seminar rooms.

The core of the Cultural Center is its student organizations, which include the following 32 organizations:

Afro-American Cultural Center Resident Groups

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and Gamma Phi Delta Christian Fraternity, Inc. are service oriented, Black Greek organizations that sponsor social, cultural, civic, recreational, and educational activities on campus and in the community.

Asempa – African chorus

Black Church at Yale is a dynamic inter-denominational congregation that meets on Sunday mornings at the Center and provides spiritual counseling and bible study throughout the week.

Black Graduate Network is a social and cultural organization that promotes an agenda for enhancing graduate and professional student life at Yale.

Black Solidarity Conference is a student organization that plans a yearly intercollegiate conference on Yale’s campus.

Black Student Alliance at Yale, (BSAY) the vanguard group in the founding of the Center, is a political, cultural and educational awareness organization committed to improving general student life at Yale and fostering community development.

Heritage Theatre Ensemble (HTE) premier theatre group producing original and classical black theater.

Klib Kreyol – Haitian Student Association

Konjo! is the premiere African dance troupe.

Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students [ MAPS ] is an organization which fosters the interests of pre-medical students through forums and workshops with medical school students and administrators.

National Society of Black Engineers is the Yale University chapter of a national organization geared towards enhancing professional job opportunities for Black and Latino students within all science fields.

PRISM - is a support group and clearinghouse of a variety of resources for Queer students of color who seek to network with one another and engage intercollegiate activist programs.

Rhythmic Blue Hip Hop Troupe

Shades is an a cappella singing group which embodies the contemporary, pop, and gospel traditions in Black musical expression.

Sister Circle is a forum for Black women to meet in a positive setting to get to know and support one another in all aspects of life at Yale.

Steppin’ Out is a non-greek, multicultural, co-ed step group that performs at dances, parties, fundraisers, and celebrations throughout the region.

Sphere Magazine strives to reflect the cultural and intellectual diversity of collegiate audiences with an aim of creating new conversation and challenging our readers to think differently.

Sankofa is a fashion show fundraiser benefiting organizations whose missions are to combat diseases overwhelmingly affecting communities of color.

Pan, Jam, and Lime Steel Pan is a 10-member steel pan group open to all interested Yalies.

Urban Improvement Corps is a one-to-one tutoring program staffed and run by Yale students. Tutoring is offered to Greater New Haven students in grades 3 through 12 during the academic year.

Visions of Virtue is a mentoring program for adolescent girls trained in the Christian faith and values.

WORD! – a spoken-word performance group.

Yale African Student Alliance (YASA) is a social and cultural network of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from the African continent or students interested in African culture.

Yale Christian Fellowship and Black Campus Ministries

The Yale Gospel Choir is an ensemble of Yale students and community members who musically spread God’s Word. The Choir sings regularly at the Black Church at Yale and gives concerts in New Haven and throughout the United States.

Yale West Indian Student Organization (Y-WISO ) is a cultural and educational awareness organization that promotes greater understanding of West Indian culture, politics, and society.

YNAACP – student chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

In conjunction with our student resident groups, the New Haven African Dance Troupe, and Paul Huggins African Drumming Core serve as the core of our community -in -residence partners.

See: www.yale.edu/afam