Blacks in Boston Conference
Blacks in Boston is a conference series conceived of by former Boston College Black Studies Director Amanda V. Houston. These conferences addressed subjects such as blacks in metropolitan Boston, the struggle for equal education, the relationships between Irish and black Bostonians, and the role of immigrants of African descent in the development and evolution of Boston鈥檚 black communities.
2026 Blacks in Boston Conference
"Combahee River Collective: 聽Race, Space, and Feminist Activism"
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Boston College, Heights Room
Free and Open to the Public
Call For Papers
The 2026 conference will focus on the Combahee River Collective (CRC) in the context of Boston, MA and activism in the Northeast. The Collective, active in Boston from 1974 to 1980, has become an international symbol of Black feminist theory and praxis. The Collective鈥檚 international influence is undeniable, yet this renown has largely overwhelmed its Boston origins. This conference aims to return the Collective to its geographical and liberatory roots.聽 Conference organizers encourage submissions on all topics relating to the CRC, including but not limited to the following themes:
- The local and global impact of the Combahee River Collective
- CRC and visual and popular cultures
- CRC鈥檚 continued influence on contemporary Black feminist theory
- CRC, Gender, Race and Policing
- CRC and the formation of intersectional coalitions
- Community organizing
- Interpersonal violence
- Gender, sexuality, and activism
The conference organizers encourage submissions from scholars (graduate students are welcome), journalists, community activists, and others. All submissions must include paper abstract (not to exceed 250 words) and C.V. or resume that includes preferred email address and phone number.
All proposal materials must be submitted by Friday, November 14, 2025, 11:59 pm EST .
Past Events
2022 Blacks in Boston Conference
鈥淔ifty Years of Black Studies in Boston鈥�
April 9, 2022
Boston College, Gasson 100
FREE and open to the public. Deadline to register is April 4th.
Panel 1 Reflecting on Black Studies At and Beyond Boston College
10:00鈥�11:30 a.m.
Aminah Fernandes Pilgrim, Faculty of Women鈥檚, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Critical Ethnic & Community Studies, and Africana Studies, University of Massachusetts-Boston
Faith Smith, Associate Professor of African and African American Studies and English, Brandeis University
Cynthia Young, Associate Professor of African American Studies, English, and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Pennsylvania State University
Moderator: Martin Summers, Professor of History and African and African Diaspora Studies and Director of AADS, Boston College
Virtual Walking Tour of Blacks at Boston College
11:30 a.m.聽鈥� 12:00 p.m.
Professor Rhonda Frederick, Associate Professor of English and African and African Diaspora Studies, Boston College
Panel 2 Remembering Black Studies at Boston College
1:30聽鈥� 3:00 p.m.
Ufuoma C. Abiola (鈥�06), Executive Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Columbia Business School
Darcel Denise Clark ('83), Bronx County District Attorney, Member of Boston College Board of Trustees
Juan Concepcion (鈥�96), Director, Senior Legal Counsel, Boston Scientific
Rui Gomes (鈥�96), Operational Leader for Secondary School Regions, Boston Public Schools
Zebulon Miletsky (鈥�06), Associate Professor of Africana Studies and History, Stony Brook University
Moderator: Karen Miller, Associate Professor of the Practice, History, Boston College
Keynote Address
3:30聽鈥� 5:00 p.m.
R茅gine Jean-Charles, Dean鈥檚 Professor of Culture and Social Justice, Director of Africana Studies, and Professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Northeastern University
"Black Bostonians and the Media"
Friday, April 6, 2018
Corcoran Commons, Heights Room
10:45 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The 2018 theme is designed to encourage an examination of the media and Boston鈥檚 black communities from historical, contemporary, and prospective angles. At a time when the media as foundational sources of information are being buffeted by ideological and political assaults, new economic realities, and rapid technological change, it is important that we examine the effect of these changes on both traditional and cutting-edge forms of news delivery and the consequences for black Bostonians.
This year's speakers include:
- Jamarhl Crawford, Editor and Publisher, Blackstonian
- Callie Crossley, Host and Commentator,WGBH
- Kimberly Foster, Cultural Critic and Editor-in-Chief, For Harriet
- Renee Graham, Associate Editor and Columnist, Boston Globe
- Martin Henson, Activist,Black Lives Matter Boston
- Yawu Miller, Senior Editor, Bay State Banner
"Black 鈥� and Immigrant"
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Gasson Hall 100
9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The 2016 theme is designed to engage current issues in the US immigration debate, and to explore what black immigrants and immigration bring to this conversation.
This year's speakers include:
- D. Feraiya Williams, Trina Jackson, and Luz Zambrano, Network of Immigrant & African American Solidarity
- Dr. Violet M. Showers Johnson, Texas A&M University聽
- Dr. Chrystal George Mwangi, UMass Amherst
- Shelvia English, University of Maryland, College Park
- Ester Shapiro, University of Massachusetts
- Yvette Modestin, Encuentro Diaspora Afro
- Tyesha Maddox, New York University
- Tatiana M. F. Cruz, University of Michigan