Conference Welcome 

Dear Conference Participants and Guests,

On behalf of the faculty, students, and staff of the Dr. Mack Henry Jones Department of Political Science, I am honored to welcome you to Clark Atlanta University as we convene our inaugural 2024 Conference on the Atlanta School of Black Political Science: Celebrating 50 Years of Challenging the Canon. Slightly over five decades ago, CAU’s parent graduate institution, Atlanta University, received a major financial gift for the purpose of establishing a truly unique doctoral program in political science at one of the nation’s leading HBCUs. The conference activities that will unfold over the next three days is the culminating event of the 50th Anniversary celebrations that began with the departmental naming ceremony in honor of Dr. Mack Henry Jones.

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The purpose of the 2024 Conference is to use the occasion of the 50th Anniversary to celebrate, commemorate, and advance the traditions of what we call “the Atlanta School” that emerged in the latter decades of the 20th century. The conference will specifically explore the many scholarly themes, national and international political impacts, and institutional accomplishments of the Atlanta School. In addition to the manuscripts, papers, and panel discussions on Black political science that will be presented during the conference, we also hope you will enjoy the reunion reception, live musical session, and special recognitions we have planned for you. Most important, I hope you will be a part of a collective effort to continue the important intellectual and political accomplishments of our beloved department.

Welcome back to Atlanta!

Dr. “Biton” Kurt B. Young

Chair, Dr. Mack Henry Jones Department of Political Science

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Images from the 2024 Atlanta School Conference