Black Geographic Possibilities in Higher Education

Past geographical research and Whiteness impact the current course content and demographics of the discipline in the United States. In fact, there is still a disconnect between how “black matters are spatial matters” (McKittrick, 2006). In this paper, I will analyze the current state of geography programs in the United States. I begin with a literature review on the intersection and removal of Blackness in geography. I use the AAG’s Guide to Geography Programs to examine geography programs in New York that have course content on Blackness. I also analyze the 107 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) using the same process and synthesize a map using QGIS. While HBCUs overwhelmingly have limited geography programs, I also expect to find that NY geography programs lack the desired course content. The significance of this research is beyond “adding Black subjects to geography syllabi” for diversity (Hawthorne, 2019). My research will continue to open up alternative ways that academics and organizers can create knowledge that realizes that Black experiences are spatial experiences