2024 Call for Proposals
Conference Theme
In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans. African American art is infused with African diasporic, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary, and other forms of cultural expression the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements, such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. For centuries Western intellectuals denied or minimized the contributions of people of African descent to the arts as well as history, even as their artistry in many genres was mimicked and/or stolen. However, we can still see the unbroken chain of Black art production from antiquity to the present, from Egypt across Africa, from Europe to the New World.
Proposal Types
Proposals should be detailed, comprehensive, and descriptive that outline the theme, scope, and aim of the session. Proposals that incorporate the annual theme are preferred, but submissions can be on a variety of temporal, geographical, thematic, and topical areas in Black history, life, and culture. Details on each can be found on the ASALH and All Academic website.
For individuals who are interested in collaborating on a panel, workshop, or roundtable, please use the Google spreadsheet, which is an informal tool to connect individuals who are seeking ideas and/or collaboration. The spreadsheet is not monitored by ASALH or the Academic Program Committee and is not part of the official submission process.
Individual Submissions
Paper Submissions: Individual(s) can submit papers. These papers will be put together with other papers on the same theme/topic by the Academic Program Committee. Papers will ONLY be accepted by non-academics, undergraduate, and graduate students on the 2024 Annual Black History Theme: African Americans and the Arts. Paper submissions are not guaranteed audiovisual during the conference. There will be limited slots for paper sessions at the ASALH annual meeting. Submissions that are performances or plays will not be accepted.
Woodson Lightning Round/Pop-Ups: Individual(s) can submit lightning round papers/presentations. These proposals will be put together with other lightning-round proposals by the Academic Program Committee.
Poster Submissions: Individual(s) and ASALH Branches can submit posters. The posters will be put together in a single or multiple session by the Academic Program Committee. Posters have both a virtual/pre-recording and in-person component.
Session Submissions
Proposals will be accepted by all affiliations and academic status. Access to audiovisuals is not guaranteed during the conference. Panels: Are sessions composed of individuals presenting different papers/presentations on a specific concept/topic/idea
Roundtables: These are sessions that are composed of individuals presenting a single idea/concept/theme
Workshops: These are sessions that are hands-on and work to teach attendees about a particular tool, project, idea, and theme. Sessions that are performances or plays will not be accepted.
Media: These are sessions that are comprised of an individual film or a film panel where a moderated or group discussion of a film is conducted following the screening
Submission
All proposals are submitted in the All-Academic system. You will need to provide an abstract (300 words or less), a title of your presentation, your name, email, and affiliation. If you are submitting a panel, workshop, roundtable, or media session, you will need the information for all the presenters. Once the proposal is submitted, the submitter and all presenters will receive an email confirmation.
The submission deadlines for proposals are as follows: Early Bird Submissions will be accepted via All Academic until March 18, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Conditional acceptance responses to Early Bird submissions will be sent out by April 21, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (EST). After this date, the committee will accept all submissions until the deadline of April 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Regular conditional acceptance submissions will be responded to by June 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (EST). You will not be considered official until all session participants have joined the Association and registered for the conference.
Woodson Ambassadors Program
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History proudly announces its Woodson Ambassador Program, which is an early professional training for History, Public History, and Museum Studies Scholars.
Students who attend ASALH’s Annual Meeting and Conference get to:
- Attend and participate in workshops and sessions geared toward rising professionals
- Dissertation Workshops
- Poster Sessions
- Gain experience working in a professional society as a member of the on-site program committee and/or the local arrangement committees.
- Receive a certificate verifying that they were a Woodson Ambassador
Who can participate
- Undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in professional development.
- Must pay conference fees, including membership, registration fees, room and board.
- Willing to volunteer for a minimum 4 hours during the conference