The Center for the Study of African American Culture (CSAAC) is committed to interdisciplinary research revived in the multiple dimensions of African American life and culture. CSAAC contributes to the growth of research and publications by the University of Houston, bringing together scholars from across the country in moderated and academic forums. As part of its ongoing commitment to the presentation and publication of thematic ideas which contribute to the growth and expansion of knowledge and research in Africana life and culture, CSAAC has developed three research divisions in support of these initiatives.

DIVISIONS

Black Images in the Media Arts & Film Festival
The mission of the Black Images in the Media Arts & Film Festival is to provide a platform for African American independent film makers, actors, producers and entertainers to showcase their works in ways that depict positive black images as well as a vehicle for industry professionals and students entering the industry to network.

The Black Houston History Project
An initiative committed to the research, study and preservation of the history of African American people and institutions in the city of Houston, Texas, from the nineteenth through the twentieth century.

Institute for African American Policy Research
Revived in the 2002-2003 academic year, the Institute for African American Policy Research is committed to the exploration, study and publication of research related to public policy issues affecting Africana people in the city of Houston.

Annual Africana Studies Research Symposium
Hosted annually by the Institute for African American Policy Research, the symposium explores critical issues in Africana Studies research through presentations by scholars from across the United States and with designed academic publication outcome.

Africana Law, Traditions & Religion (ALTAR) project
The purpose of the Africana Law, Traditions & Religion (ALTAR) project, a unit of the Center for the Study of African American Culture, is to examine the interconnected spatial and oral histories of religion, law and law enforcement, business life and folk traditions within the African Diaspora. The project provides a digital platform for the interdisciplinary collection, examination and analysis of oral records, social institutions and historical events that have profoundly shaped the cultural identity of African-descended people. As a publicly accessible online digital commons, ALTAR will provide high quality African-centered research on the lived experiences of Africana peoples to the general public, college students and academic scholars. The educational content involved in the project increases the capacity of the Center for the Study of African American Culture to achieve its primary research objectives and community-oriented goals. Learn More