UMKC African American History and Culture House

African American History
& Culture House University of Missouri – Kansas City

Fast Fact: Supports incoming freshmen and encourages academic achievement for all.

Headquarters for African American Student Union

This inviting home, at 5245 Rockhill Road, is UMKC’s center for African American intellectual life and leisure. Students welcome those seeking to learn more about people of African descent. Through programs, films, displays and activities, the AAHCH offers the UMKC community much food for thought.

The Mission of the African American History and Culture House

The mission of the African American History and Culture House (AAHCH) is to enhance and enrich the general understanding of and participation in African American intellectual culture. The AAHCH’s primary population is the African American student body. All AAHCH activities and programs however, can serve to fulfill the intellectual needs of anyone seeking to know more about the cultural heritage and contributions of people of African descent.

The AAHCH’s mission is an expression of the University of Missouri- Kansas City goal of promoting and celebrating cultural diversity on campus. The presence of intellectual cultural activities both in and out of the classroom is consistent with and central to the University’s broader mission. The AAHCH mission also facilitates the University’s overall efforts to attract, recruit and retain African American students by providing a supportive environment for the fostering of personal and intellectual growth. The AAHCH as a support system for African American students, offers both intellectual and leisure time activities.

The African American History and Culture House is a place for study and the preparation of academic work during normal center hours. A library containing a collection of books, newspapers, college catalogues, journals and video tapes are important sources which aid in African American student retention. The availability of computers for use in completing academic assignments help promote student academic success.

An essential impetus for intellectual activity (seminars/workshops) revolves around an AAHCH cooperative venture with the University’s College of Arts and Sciences African American faculty members in the disciplines of Black Studies, African American History, and Linguistics.

The center Assistant Director is primarily responsible for scheduling faculty and guest lecturers with both the AAHCH and the College of Arts and Sciences. Seminars and presentations on a variety of stimulating topics are implemented on a bi-weekly basis. Programmatic efforts provide a supportive environment which in turn assists students in developing the necessary coping skills and the intellectual fortitude needed for improved academic performance in the classroom.

In an effort to meet its mission, the AAHCH has developed linkages with academic and nonacademic units of the University, thus performing an integrative role in the intellectual life of the University. In addition, the AAHCH Director and Asst. Director plans and implements university-wide activities and events in commemoration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and to celebrate African American History Month. An African American Culture week is implemented annually and designed to expose the University and Kansas City community to the intellectual and overall contributions of African Americans to American society and history.

Goals and Objectives of the UMKC African American History and Culture House

The purpose of the African American History and Culture House is to enhance, enrich and engender among students, faculty, staff and the broader community, a general understanding and appreciation of the contributions that African and African American people have made and are making to world civilization. The primary objectives of the AAHCH are:

1. To provide the University of Missouri-Kansas City community with cultural and intellectual activities and events that are unique to the African American experience

2. To provide an educational, social and cultural support system for African American undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff

3.To contribute to the overall diversity of the campus and community environments

4.To coordinate selected intellectual activities for AAHCH implementation with the College Of Arts and Sciences African American Studies Program representatives

5.To serve as an indirect support resource for the recruitment and retention of African American undergraduate students

The AAHCH will present selected programs that provide educational awareness and information that relate to the African American experience. The AAHCH also serves as a resource for student organizations and the university community. The AAHCH contributes to the University of Missouri-Kansas City mission by providing services and programs that enhance the academic, social and cultural environment.

Tags: african american, black history, black studies, culture house, Kansas City, students, umkc