White Money/Black Power: The Surprising History of African American Studies and the Crisis of Race in Higher Education

The history of African American studies is often told as a heroic tale, with compelling images of black power and passionate African American students who refused to take no for an answer. Noliwe M. Rooks argues for the recognition of another story, which proves that many of the programs that survived actually began as a result of white philanthropy. With unflinching honesty, Rooks shows that the only way to create a stable future for African American studies is by confronting its complex past.

“Rooks is a serious scholar and insider of African American studies, and this book is full of deep insight and sharp analysis.”—Cornel West

“A provocative and original history of the relationship between philanthropy, politics and the emergence of Black Studies. White Money/Black Power will become central to discussions and debates about the origins and future of this dynamic and transformative intellectual project.”—Farah Jasmine Griffin, author of If You Can’t Be Free, Be a Mystery: In Search of Billie Holiday

“For those concerned with the future direction of Black / African American / African Diaspora Studies as an academic discipline, White Money / Black Power is a must read.
—Jonathan L. Walton, Pop Matters

Noliwe M. Rooks is associate director of African American Studies at Princeton University. The author of Hair Raising: Beauty, Culture, and African American Women and Ladies’ Pages: African American Women’s Magazines and the Culture That Made Them, she lives in Princeton, New Jersey.