Afro-American Studies gets new direction, name

The former department of Afro-American Studies is heading toward a new direction with the appointment of Dr. John Stanfield II as chairman of the department.\nThat new direction includes an early and bold move by Stanfield, changing the department's name to the Department of African-American and African Diaspora Studies. \nStanfield said he believes the name actually explains where the field of African-American studies is heading.\n"(The title) is what I call the internal and external globalization of African peoples," Stanfield said.\nThis type of sentiment seems to resonate with the faculty in the department as well.\n"The name change has been hailed by all and sundry in the department because the old name was a bit archaic and, also, was not reflective of our new realities and vision," said A.B. Assensoh, a Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies.\nStanfield's parents weren't given the opportunity to go to college, but they pushed their son to get an education. \nStanfield decided to enroll at California State-Fresno University, not sure of what he wanted to study.\nThe day before his first university classes began, Stanfield bumped into the chairman of the sociology department when walking through campus. The chairman persuaded Stanfield to take one of his courses.\n"I was so impressed by the personal touch that I decided to enroll in his 7 a.m. Intro to Sociology class," Stanfield said. "And being a freshman, you don't know any better."\nThat meeting with the chairman pushed Stanfield to study sociology, which has turned into his passion for the last 30 years.\n"He really inspired me to understand that sociology was to make this world a better place," Stanfield said.\nStanfield graduated from Cal State and moved to the midwest where he received his doctorate in sociology from Northwestern University.\nAfter teaching and researching across the country, Stanfield found himself at Morehouse College, the only college specifically for African-American males and the same university Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. attended.\nStanfield became the chair of the sociology department and the director of the Morehouse Research Institute.\nAfter four years, Stanfield said he did all he could at Morehouse and decided it was time to move.\n"I wanted to come to a big university in a small town, not far from a big city," Stanfield said. \nAnd Bloomington seemed to be the perfect fit.\n"We have other universities struggling with the idea of the validity of African-American studies," Stanfield said. "And you see IU Bloomington who has an entire department."\nStanfield plans to revamp the department's undergraduate courses and degree requirements and to add more faculty and staff. He also wants to make sure students understand African-American studies courses are open to everyone.\n"We want to become a place where people learn how to reflect very critically and how to develop anti-racist lifestyles, institutions, communities and societies," Stanfield said.\nIU Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations Bill Stephan said bold moves like changing the name of the department seem usual for Stanfield.\n"He does have the reputation for being someone who is very much an innovator," Stephan said.\nFrederick McElroy, a professor of African-American studies, called Stanfield a "human dynamo."\n"He seems to never sleep," McElroy said. "He's well-rounded in almost every aspect of African-American history and culture."\nAfter working in universities across the country, Stanfield said he believes Bloomington will become his permanent home.\n"I think this will be my last university," Stanfield said. \nOne of the reasons he said he wants to stay is the quality of the students he has encountered the last few weeks.\n"I have never met such dynamite students since I've come here," Stanfield said. "It makes me more proud to want to do all I can"