About Us

Southern Conference On African American Studies, Inc., SCAASI, had its beginning in 1979 following a successful state-wide African American History and Culture program at Texas Southern University. 

our history

The program at T. S. U. had been held to bring together persons from across the State of Texas who were interested in interpreting and preserving African American history and culture.  The participants were very responsive. It was reasoned that this venture was such a success the momentum must be kept alive and expanded. Even though the southern states contained, perhaps, a majority of African Americans, most of the intellectual activities geared at interpreting and preserving African American history and culture were centered elsewhere. 

This was virtually a virgin field.  Here was something that had to be done. It was immediately decided to try to bring together all interested minds, regardless of color or creed, who were interested in interpreting and preserving African American History and Culture, especially that which had originated in and/or affected the south. 

-Dr. Jones

Understand the past and you can shape the future

our

Annual Convention

S.C.A.A.S.I. holds an annual meeting/convention. Eventually each former Confederate and border state will be the site of a meeting. Very importantly, attempts are made to hold some part of the convention on an historically black college (HBCU) campus, or a related institution. At the meetings, scholarly papers are presented and critiqued, as well as new material and methods of teaching are discussed as such would be presented in a classroom.

The Annual Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc. (SCAASI) Convention Luncheon.
Congratulations to the
2024-2026 Board of Directors and Officers
Dr. Sharron Herron-Williams, President
Dr. Eunice Matthews-Armstead, Vice President
Dr. Alecia Hoffman, Secretary
Mr. Andrew Baskin, Treasurer
Dr. Abel Bartley, Immediate Past President 
Dr. Tashia Bradley, Editor, The Griot
Dr. Ron Goodwin, Associate Editor, The Griot
Dr. Leonard Slade, Jr., Poet Laureate
Dr. George Garrison, Elder
Dr. Wali Kharif, Board Member
past SCAASI Executive Board officers

Dr. Sharron Herron-Williams, President
Southern University at Shreveport

Dr. Deana McQuitty, Vice President
North Carolina A&T University

Dr. Abel Bartley, Immediate Past President
Clemson University

Dr. Alecia Hoffman, Secretary
Alabama State University

Dr. Bertis English, Treasurer
Alabama State University

Dr. Tashia Bradley, Editor, The Griot
Wiley College

Dr. Ronald Goodwin, Associate Editor, The Griot
Prairie View A&M University

Dr. George Garrison, Griot (SCAASI Elder)
Kent State University (Ret.)

Dr. Leonard Slade, Poet Laureate
University at Albany (Ret.)

Dr. Wali Kharif, Board Member
Tennessee Tech University (Ret.)

Dr. Eunice Matthews-Armstead, Board Member
Eastern Connecticut State University

Dr. David Jackson, Board Member
North Carolina Central University

past PRESIDENTS

Dr. Abel Bartley
Clemson University

Dr. Bertis English
Alabama State University

Dr. Horace Huntley
University of Alabama-Birmingham

Dr. Robert Hall
Northeastern University (Boston)

Dr. Charles Vincent
Southern University

Dr. Alma Williams (deceased)
Clark Atlanta University

Mrs. Dorothy Early Davis
Southern University

Dr. Roosevelt Butler
College of New Jersey

Prof. Thesalonia Ford (deceased)
St. Louis Comm. College

Dr. Tunde Adeleke
The University of Montana

Dr. Charles Jackson
Augusta State University (GA)

Dr. Merline Pitre
Texas Southern University

Dr. Johnson Adefila
Bennett College for Women
Dr. Shirley W. Moore
Texas Southern University

Dr. Jacob Gordon
The Univ. Of Kansas (Emeritus)

Dr. Arthur Tolson
Southern University

Dr. Rupe Sims
North Park University

Dr. Alton Hornsby, Jr
Morehouse College

Dr. C. Calvin Smith (deceased)
Arkansas State University

Dr. Betty Taylor-Thompson
Texas Southern University

Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney
Avery Res. Ctr./S.C.

Dr. Veula J. Rhodes
Albany State Coll. (Ga.)

Dr. Raymond Lockett (deceased)
Southern University

Dr. Jo Ann Marx
Southern University

Dr. Monte Piliawsk
Wayne State University

Dr. Wali R. Kharif
Tennessee Technological University

Dr. Marcellus Barksdale
Morehouse College

Dr. R. Meade Walker
(Pastor) Memphis, Tennessee
Dr. Gloria WilIiams-Way
Augusta, Georgia

Dr. David H. Jackson, Jr.
Florida A&M University