Current Employer: College of Charleston, Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture

Professional Background:

Education: Masters of Science in Library and Information Science (MSLIS), University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, 2011. BA English and Textual Studies, Syracuse University, 2009. BA African American Studies, Syracuse University, 2009
Service: Society of American Archivists (2014-2020); Midwest Archives Conf.: Annual Meeting Program Committee, 2017; Chicago Area Archives, Prof. Dev. Comm. (chair), 2012–2016; Black Metropolis Research Consortium, Sect., 2015–2016; Illinois State Historical Records Board, 2015–2016; Charleston Conference, 2021- present; Digital Public Library of America, 2021- present; Executive Committee for CofC Women’s and Gender Studies (2021- present) and Associate Director (2024- present)
Research: African American history and archives, digital preservation, censorship, and community archiving
Previous Work:
University Archivist, Chicago State University, 2012-2016
Online Instructor, Preserve This, Introduction to Community Archiving, 2020-2023

Major Accomplishments:

At the College of Charleston, Haykal has been co-PI on digitization and oral history grants totaling $2.1 million, increasing access to historical materials and supporting new archival professionals. As ASALH’s VP for Programs, she has written or co-written successful grants from organizations such as New York Life Insurance, the Mellon Foundation, AAAM/AACRN, and the National Park Foundation. She collaborates with ASALH and National Park Service staff to review task agreements and exhibition plans for the Woodson House and seeks funding for cultural heritage worker development. She develops resources and virtual programming to support the annual Black History theme and works with the ASALH Festival committee on public events. She also oversaw Social Justice at ASALH programming in partnership with Howard University and the Mellon Just Futures Initiative. Haykal has improved ASALH’s leadership communication and workflow through innovative educational and project management tools.

Previous Service to ASALH: 

Branch
1. Chicago Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (Secretary), 2013-2016
2. Charleston Area Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Member-2016-present (Recording Secretary (2018-2021))
National
1. Academic Program Committee Member, 2016-2018
2. ASALH Executive Council Member, 2019-2021, served on the following committees: Program Planning (chair), Strategic Planning, and Planning
3. Vice President for Programs, 2022- present, serve on the following committees: Development, Planning, Strategic Planning, Audit and Finance, Woodson House (chair), and Program Planning (chair), and ex-officio on other Program Cluster committees
4. Local Arrangements Committee, for 104th ASALH Annual Meeting and Conference in Charleston, SC, 2019
Information Professionals of ASALH Interest Group (IP of ASALH)
1. Webmaster (2013-2018)
2. Co-Chair (2016-2017)
3. Chair (2017-2018)
4. Past Chair (2018-2019)

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

Serving a second term as the Vice-President for Programs for ASALH would allow me to build on the successful partnerships and programs I have developed and continue to support the work of the seven committees in the Program Cluster. ASALH’s branches have excelled in public programming, highlighting the history and life of Black people regionally and across the African Diaspora. I am excited to support this work alongside the Vice-President for Membership. As we approach the 100th Anniversary of Black History Month and the 250th Anniversary of the United States, launching a national program to spark intergenerational conversations about America—particularly Black America—will be vital. I also look forward to collaborating with ASALH’s Executive Council and Executive Director to secure funding from corporations, grants, and individuals, ensuring we continue promoting the importance of ASALH Freedom Schools and the outstanding scholarship, projects, and research within our membership.

Current Employer: Lincoln University of Missouri

Professional Background:

Higher Education and military veteran

Previous Service to ASALH: 

Secretary – 2025
Executive Council member Class of 2023
Various Committee Membership and Chair
Life Member
Journal of African American History ASISTANT Book Review Editor 2025-pres
Published in JAAH
13-year Conference Attendee and Presenter

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

Increase Undergraduate Student Involvement
Acquire More Non-Governmental External Funding
Increasing Black Organizational and Institutional Support and Collaboration
By actively working on these areas, we could create a vibrant, engaged, and sustainable ASALH community, increase its visibility, and strengthen its impact.

Current Employer: Progressive Baptist Church/Great Lakes Urban Empowerment Center

Professional Background:

Walter Lanier is a visionary attorney, educator, and executive leader with experience in higher education, healthcare, law, and public service. As President and CEO of the Great Lakes Urban Empowerment Center (GLUE), he advances racial equity, mental health, and civic leadership. He also chairs the board of Milwaukee Health Services, Inc., guiding governance reform and strategic planning. At Milwaukee Area Technical College, he launched the Men of Color Initiative, the Student Resource Center, the Food Pantry, and the college’s first Counseling and Psychological Services Department. He is also the founder of Lanier Law Offices and provides counsel in civil rights, nonprofit leadership, and systems change. Lanier played a lead role in launching the BLEST Hub at Marquette University’s CURTO, which maps and connects ecosystem efforts for boys and men of color in Southeastern Wisconsin. Across all his work, he brings innovation, equity, and collaborative leadership.

Major Accomplishments:

Lanier has led transformative efforts advancing equity, education, and wellness. At Milwaukee Area Technical College, he founded the Men of Color Initiative, Student Resource Center, MATC Food Pantry, and the college’s first Counseling and Psychological Services Department. These initiatives removed barriers and improved student success. He co-created the BLEST Hub at Marquette University’s CURTO, mapping programs that support boys and men of color in Southeastern Wisconsin. As Chair of Milwaukee Health Services, Inc., he is leading governance reform and strategic planning. As President and CEO of the Great Lakes Urban Empowerment Center (GLUE), he connects nonprofit, civic, and academic partners to advance racial equity and mental health. Through Lanier Law Offices, he offers legal and strategic guidance in civil rights and nonprofit leadership. His work centers on systems change, collaboration, and impact.

Previous Service to ASALH: 

I am currently serving my second term on the Executive Committee. Recently appointed Chair of the Governance Committee, I’ve led efforts to strengthen governance policies and procedures—improving the sequencing of elections and streamlining policy review. I’ve worked to cultivate new relationships that broaden our reach and deepen our institutional network. I also believe I’ve added value by helping frame the narrative of who we are, where we are on our organizational journey, and the deep substance that drives our mission.

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

I aim to strengthen the policies, processes, and communication strategies that increase transparency, enhance accountability, and clarify the impact of our work. My goal is to create systems that reflect the fluid nature of governance while empowering individuals and institutions to engage more effectively. I plan to expand membership from Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin, ensuring that both local energy and institutional leadership are fully represented. A major priority is laying the groundwork for a dedicated Milwaukee branch—rooted in equity, community voice, and long-term sustainability. Through this work, I hope to build infrastructure that is inclusive, transparent, and aligned with our shared mission of justice and empowerment. By fostering collaboration and strengthening operational clarity, we can deepen trust, scale impact, and ensure this work reaches future generations.

Current Employer: Morgan State University

Professional Background:

I am currently working as a Graduate Assistant at Morgan State University, but have experience in the Museum field and Foreign Affairs.

Major Accomplishments:

Winner of the 2019 Charles H. Wesley Medal of History among several other awards for my book “”The Lost Empire: Black Freemasonry in the Old West from 1867-1906

Previous Service to ASALH: 

I have served as a member of ASALH since 2021 and an Executive Council Member for the past year.

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

I hope to work more closely regarding fundraising and program development.

Current Employer: Mount Vernon Public Library

Professional Background:

LIBRARY DIRECTOR | MOUNT VERNON PUBLIC LIBRARY| 03/2020- PRESENT
Work under the supervision of the Board of Trustees. Directly supervises 68 employees at Mount Vernon Public Library. Trains employees in library routines; prepares work schedules and assigns areas of responsibility; prepares department monthly income and expenditures and various reports; checks bills and employee time records; assists users in obtaining the best results from the use of library facilities; confers with the general public to provide information and to resolve problems or complaints; confers with agencies, other public libraries, corporations, and community groups in the development of library programs for the Town, region and state and assists in coordinating inter-library program efforts; directs and participates in personnel actions such as hiring, and labor relations; fills in at public service desk as needed; regular and punctual attendance.

Major Accomplishments:

Library Director of Mount Vernon Public Library, City of Mount Vernon, New York.
Library Director of Edison Public Library, City of Edison, NJ.
Library Director of Orange Public Library, City of Orange, NJ
Library Director of Wyandanch Public Library, Wyandanch, NY
Radioshow Co-Host – Seton Hall University/WSOU. 89.5 FM, 2020 – 2025.
Film Producer – www.foremostproductions.com

Previous Service to ASALH: 

I have not had the opportunity to volunteer and assist, but I am looking forward to doing so in the near future.

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

Expanding Public Access to African American Historical ResourcesAs the Library Director of the Mount Vernon Public Library, I have firsthand experience in curating and expanding collections that highlight African American history. I aim to work towards increasing public access to vital historical documents, digitizing rare materials, and fostering partnerships with institutions that can help amplify ASALH’s resources.
Strengthening Community and Institutional PartnershipsI seek to build stronger collaborations between ASALH and public libraries, universities, museums, and community organizations. Through joint programming, speaker series, and educational workshops, we can ensure that African American history remains an accessible and integral part of the broader cultural discourse.

Current Employer: Indiana University Indianapolis

Professional Background:

Assistant Professor of Africana Studies
Program Director Africana Studies
Executive Director Center for Africana Studies and Culture

Major Accomplishments:

Founding of the Center for Africana Studies and Culture
Executive Director of IU Indianapolis Freedom School (Children’s Defense Fund)
I have been nominated for a major award at my institution and I have received accolades for my community engaged work.

Previous Service to ASALH: 

Officer with ASALH Joseph Taylor Branch current President. I have served as Vice President and membership chair.
Indianapolis planning committee for the 2018 Convention.
Interim Executive Council Member 2024
Freedom School planning committee
I am a regular presenter and volunteer panel chair at the annual conference.
Director of ASALH Freedom School (Saturday School)

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

My general goal and aim is central to my core focus as a professional and in life. I have chosen to be of service to my community, and I see service on the executive council in this same light. It may seem very plain and idealistic, but it is core to my values, and I think that it is important now more than ever that we support institutions and organizations we hold membership in at the highest level in an effort to maintain and uphold their mission. So my accomplishment would be taking part in continuing our founders hopes for this organization.

Current Employer: Oberlin College and Conservatory

Professional Background:

I am a historian of African American, Gender, and Urban History in the twentieth century. I received my master’s degree in history from Villanova University in 2011 and my Ph.D. in History from Lehigh University in 2023. I am currently an Assistant professor of Africana Studies at Oberlin College and Conservatory.

Major Accomplishments:

My article “A Bank for the People: The People’s Savings Bank and Community Building in Philadelphia, 1907 – 1917” was recently published in the Pennsylvania History A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies. In 2021, I had the privilege of working as a graduate research assistant in collaboration with data scientists at Lehigh University on a project that explored the connection between cyber security in manufacturing and the dehumanization of workers. In the summer of 2020, I was awarded a Summer Research Fellowship from Lehigh University to support my research on African Americans and banking in Philadelphia. I became a life member of ASALH in January of 2025. This was the fulfillment of a long-term goal for membership and institutional support I set for myself as graduate student in 2011.

Previous Service to ASALH: 

I have presented at the conference on several occasions since 2019 and have organized sessions with scholars from a variety of disciplines to bring greater awareness of the organization and its goals across disciplines. During 2020’s Virtual Conference I was a member of the coordinating committee. During the conference I operated as a “man-of-all-work,” which, sometimes, required me to help with technical support, chair panels, assist with plenary session, and offer support for the ASALH Film Festival. In 2024 I volunteered to assist with the Awards’ Banquet. Currently I am a member of the ASALH Awards Committee.

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

My goal is to help expand ASALH’s membership amongst scholars of color and the larger African American community. It has been my experience, at the community college and university level, that students and lay people remain largely unaware of ASALH local and national presence. It is my desire to expand the association’s reach to many local educators who remain unaware of our programming and how it can be incorporated within classrooms and after-school programs. I also wish to reach across disciplines and connect with scholars in music, the visual arts, and English; many of whom do work that examines Black life and culture but see the organization only as a space for historians. Furthermore, protecting and advancing Carter G. Woodson’s vision of community education and the scholarly study of Black history during a time of unprecedented governmental attack is “good trouble,” and it is my desire to be part of that battle.

Current Employer: Wayside Christian Mission

Professional Background:

40 years professional service to the homeless, 30+ years nonprofit management and fund development, numerous academic publications, including a book on African American funerary practice.

Major Accomplishments:

30+ years of nonprofit management, fund development, and grant management with no major or uncorrectable financial errors. Several academic publications, one of which is a multi-disciplinary work on African American religious practice.

Previous Service to ASALH: 

1. Panelist at 2024 annual conference and will propose similar involvement in 2025. 2. Efforts to help the Louisville branch define its role more clearly, undertake some activities relevant to its mission, and complete its annual report accurately.

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

1. Assist the financial staff and relevant executive council members with grant management, regulatory compliance, and audit preparation. 2. Listen more than I speak in order to take into account the diverse opinions among council members and staff. 3. Promote the educational component of the organization’s mission in order to emphasize a role that is not directly political and thus in accordance with the “”no substantial portion”” clause in the Articles of Incorporation.

Current Employer: University of the Incarnate Word

Professional Background:

Dr. Brown is joining the faculty at Texas A&M University this fall 2025 as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Administration Human Resource Development (EAHR), Workforce, Adult, and Lifelong Education (WALE) program within the College of EAHR. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Adult Education, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship program at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in the Dreeben School of Education Graduate Studies department. Dr. Brown earned her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. She joined the UIW faculty in 2021 as an Assistant Professor and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her appointment. Dr. Brown is a native of Akron, Ohio, earning her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Akron. She has been an active American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) member since 2013, serving as Proceedings Chair, conference proposal reviewer, and presenter.

Major Accomplishments:

Dr. Brown has collaborated with other Executive Council members to produce a Black History Month show for the ASALH TV YouTube channel, interviewing the authors Dr. William Darity Jr. et al. (2024) about their book, The Black Reparations Project. She was Co-Presenter and Chair for a collaborative roundtable discussion session at the 2024 ASALH conference, with Dr. Paulette E. Isaac-Savage, Dr. Marc Gray Jr., Reverand Jeff Neal, and Ms. Lisa Caldwell-Serges, entitled “The Role of Gospel Music and Negro Spirituals as inspirational adult pedagogy” at the 109th Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Brown was also the session Chair for two academic paper presentations entitled “Pedagogy as Practice” and “Economics as a Way Out” at the 2023 Conference in Jacksonville, FL. She also presented at this same conference for a session entitled “Civic Engagement, The Black Church, and Reparations: From Hold My Mule to Where’s My Mule?”

Previous Service to ASALH: 

Dr. Brown has recruited two new members over the past year in keeping with the Association’s goal to increase the number of young adults joining ASALH. She regularly attends ASALH business meetings and special online events where she actively contributes to discussions about the association’s future. I attend webinars such as the Network to Freedom Grant Program Webinar offered by The National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program (NTF) and webinars for the African American Civil Rights Network (MCRN) to learn about educational grant and historical preservation opportunities that advance the vision and mission of our founder Dr. Woodson. I was nominated to serve on the ASALH Executive Council during the last call for applications but was not slated for the ballot in 2024. I sincerely hope to change that trajectory by having my application advance to the full nomination and slating committee for the Class of 2028 Executive Council of ASALH elections.

What I Hope to Accomplish as an Executive Council Member of ASALH: 

I hope to bring my strong networking, leadership, and political outreach skills to the service of ASALH to increase our financial stability through increasing corporate partners and access to federal funding opportunities as appropriate to our vision and mission. I am a very creative and visionary person with a very gregarious personality that enhances my ability to work with others. I am an enthusiastic and serious scholar who wants to do all that I can to preserve the stories and legacy of Black American life, our stories, and history in this country and the world at large.