The African American Language and Literacy Program and Black Studies in the twenty-first century

This chapter describes the work of the African American Language and Literacy Program (AALLP) I established at Michigan State University in 1989. The first of its kind, the AALLP was envisioned as a language and literacy research and community service program committed to the education, development and empowerment of the African American community. The chapter concludes with a summary history of the founding of MSU’s African American and African Studies (aka “Triple A-S”) program and a brief commentary on Black Studies in the twenty-first century.