Call for Proposals

Mapping our Black World (MOBW)

First Annual Black History Month Symposium

Conference Theme

Black History: Bridging Time & Space

For this year’s symposium, our first, we seek scholarly contributions from faculty, staff, and student researchers around the theme of Black History: Bridging Time & Space. We seek presentation and exhibitions that creatively connect the histories, experiences, and perspectives of African and African-descended peoples across time and space. Through foregrounding and restoration of our relations and commonalities, we aim to think practically and imaginatively about a healthy, sustainable, and free future. We are particularly excited about providing students the opportunity to present their work in a supportive context.

Abstracts (250 words max) for Lightning Talks (15 min. presentations related to the conference theme), Poster Presentations, and Research Paper Presentations should be submitted electronically through our electronic submission form. Additionally, we welcome proposals to introduce Black Cultural Initiatives happening in and around the campus community.

Potential Presentation Themes include:

Africanisms in Western Contexts

Profiles of Historic Figures

Indigenous Languages

Migration and Movement

Cultural Movement and Solidarities

Black Ways of Knowing

Origins of Artistic Expressions

Maroonage

Culture Sustaining Practices

African Origins of Civilization

Resistance and Revolution

Institutional Profiles

Decolonizing Methodologies

About us

MOBW is a collection of faculty, staff, and students with connections to the Honors College at UMD who have come together to form community around the scholarly endeavor of profiling our Black world. We intend for our work to reconnect, uplift, and inform our communities. We welcome partnership and collaboration with those who have deep investment in a healthy, free future for Black peoples and the human family at large.