In Fall 2005, Dr. Evans conducted a survey of the graduate coordinators at Temple, UMass, Berkeley, Michigan State, Harvard, and Northwestern to inquire about the history and state of doctoral programs in Black Studies. She asked quantitative questions about the makeup of the graduate populations and qualitative questions about the comprehensive examination. The results were published in an article titled "The State and Future of the PhD in Black Studies: Assessing the Role of the Comprehensive Examination" appearing in the Southern Conference on African American Studies' GRIOT (May 2006).
On this panel, department chairs of the programs will discuss program origins, where they are at, and where graduate training is going. Over 150 people have earned a Ph.D. in Black Studies and there are about 75 enrolled now...with more programs developing on the horizon. Yale, a very successful joint program, will also be represented on the panel. Doctoral alumnae are changing in status from graduate students to faculty members and are now preparing undergraduates in the field. With the new program at Northwestern, questions emerge about the state of graduate training in Black Studies, especially in light of the fact that no doctoral program in Black Studies yet exists in the South.
Dr. Mark Christian, editor of the May 2006 special issue of the JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES on "Black Studies in the 21st Century" will comment on the panel.
Also see the May 1, 2006 Edition of the Journal of Black Studies, edited by Dr. Mark Christian:
http://jbs.sagepub.com/content/vol36/issue5/
