News and Events

Spring Student Symposium 2025

Congratulations to Brys Peralta-Grant, Casandra Dormeus, and Hinda Ibraahim on fantastic presentations at the “Black Studies Across Different Disciplines” panel at this year’s Spring Student Symposium.

The Black Studies Program Congratulates Professor Daniel Silva

Daniel Silva was the director of Black Studies between 2020-2023, the formative years of the program. During this time and until today, he has been one of the most important individuals in creating and establishing Black Studies at Middlebury, a program that this year is celebrating its fifth anniversary, that has recently hired a new director, that has 3 faculty based full-time in Black Studies, and that has grown to 12 students majoring and 6 minoring in Black Studies now, in addition to serving countless more students. Embodying what Black Studies stands for, Daniel Silva has truly listened to student needs and demands and fought collectively with peers and students for Black Studies, holding the College accountable to becoming a better version of itself. During the relatively short time of his directorship, he managed to create a space in which students, staff, and faculty feel safe, seen, and respected. A space in which people can thrive and stay true to themselves at the same time. This would not have been possible without the continued support, commitment, and care that Daniel Silva has constantly provided for the program. He managed to do all that even though his position is shared between Black Studies and Luso-Hispanic Studies, which means twice the service, more students to mentor, more extracurricular activities, etc. Although the position of Black Studies Director has been passed on to our fantastic colleague, Jerry Philogene, Daniel remains a crucial contributor to the program and a driving force behind the program’s success. - Viola Huang

Student voices about Daniel Silva’s contribution to students’ experiences in and beyond Black Studies:

“I got to know Professor Daniel Silva through our department check ins. Through our honest and down to earth conversations, I knew he was looking out for me as a person first and foremost. He asked for my goals and my interests and truly thought through how I can tailor the major to fit me. Throughout the course of one meeting, he quelled my worries about credit completion, blessed me with a summer research opportunity through the Twilight Project, and clearly demonstrated that Black Studies as a department is a growing collective of people who are interested in pushing their students to their highest potential. I knew just by talking with our director that this was a special place. I’ve had the great honor of seeing Professor Silva begin to build the life affirming institution we speak so often about in Black Studies.” - Crystal Zhou

“Daniel Silva was one of the reasons for me pursuing a major in Black Studies. The love, support and the care that he demonstrates for his students is hard to find anywhere else. I had the opportunity to take “Black Lusophone Atlantic“ with him, which is still one of my favorite and most influential classes that I have taken at Middlebury. The world of Blackness – Black education, Black liberation, and Black theories – expands so far beyond the US. More importantly than his relevant classes here at Middlebury is his presence in the Black Studies Program, which has been one of the most comforting, warm, and supportive spaces on campus.”
- Fanta Diop

Spring 2025 Film Series 

Films by Black Female Directors

Black Studies Game Night

As part of their final project in Professor Viola Huang’s course BLST 255 The Black Experience in Games and Gaming, students had the chance to apply what they had learned throughout the semester in yesterday’s Game Night. Based on their scholarly analyses of the historical games we engaged with, students created lesson plans thinking about ways to communicate the history behind these games. Students then put their plans into action teaching their peers both the games and the history at the Game Night. We had 40 students playing these games. This event was part of the Public Humanities Labs Initiative administered by the Axinn Center for the Humanities. Thanks to everyone who came out to play!

Spring Student Symposium 2024

Amachi Obiegbu ‘26, Black Lives Matter in Germany:

This research project examines the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement in Germany in 2020 as well as the organization and structure of anti-racist activism before, and after the movement. Based on archival research, online research, and qualitative interviews, this project contributes to a better understanding of anti-racist activism and the experiences of Black people in Germany, with a particular focus on the voices of activists.

The Raquel Albarrán Lecture Series

The Raquel Albarrán Lecture Series was established in honor of our beloved friend and esteemed colleague, Raquel Albarrán. She was truly life-giving in shaping the program’s curriculum, its presence on campus, and its future life. Through this lecture series, she will continue to be.