A Recent Chronology of Black Faculty and Staff at the University of Idaho

by Kierra Smith

During the turn of the century, the University of Idaho’s activity in its inclusion of multiculturalism was lacking. In the 101st issue of The Argonaut, a student-led newspaper at the University of Idaho, the only offer of diversity support was an ad for the OMA (Office of Multicultural Affairs) which simply said, “Welcome students and parents.” Below this welcome is a list of associations and clubs that were part of the multicultural influence at the university. However, the social climate at the university began to change with an amazing art exhibit. Artist Iniobong Uto-Uko displayed his art, which was titled “Black Experience,” in the University Commons. The sponsorship of this exhibit was a collaboration by the OMA, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and RAACE (Recognizing African American Concerns in Education). This exhibit was held during Black History Month and remains to be some of the most “deep, soulful art on display” that the University has ever seen (Man). That same year, the OMA’s advertisement stated that the exhibit enhanced “multiculturalism on the UI campus through education, recognition, support of student organizations and appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of diverse ethnic populations” (Man). While U of I has made great leaps and bounds in multicultural inclusion since 2000, there is still much work to be done.

The year 2001 featured the arrival of graduate student, Romuald K. Afatchao, from Togo. After Dr. Afatchao obtained his doctorate in environmental science at U of I, he found a job as a clinical professor at the University and decided to make Moscow his home. A member of the Diversity Committee since 2004, Professor Afatchao has had a hand in shaping the committee’s strategic plans (Afatchao). Although he first began teaching at the university in 2006, Afatchao also collaborated across a range of departments which gave him the opportunity to bring that perspective of diversity to a great variety of people. He is a clinical professor and associate director of the Martin Institute and the International Studies Program. Despite his ability to connect with a range of people at the U of I, Afatchao and many other ethnically diverse faculty have said that they could use more targeted support at the university (Afatchao).

In 2002, Dr. Wudney Admassu was the first African born and raised in Ethiopia to become a full professor at the U of I. Dr. Admassu graduated from U of I in 1986 and taught for years as a visiting professor. After a brief residence elsewhere, Dr. Admassu returned to teaching at the U of I in 1992 (Admassu). He earned tenure in 1998 and, since then, has raised money for endowment projects at the university through close and personal connections that he keeps with alumni and students. He also served as the Chair of the Chemical Engineering Department from 1998 to 2005.

In 2003, the unforgettable “Shades of Black” came to be featured at the U of I. “Shades of Black,” a multicultural entertainment experience put on by the U of I, featured a variety of students from Idaho and Washington dancing and singing while also appreciating cultural diversity. The focal point was to promote understanding of differences and identities that each person brings to the world. This event was the largest collegiate multi-cultural celebration in the Pacific Northwest and was a great example of unification between students across Washington and Idaho (University of Idaho). In the ensuing years, a similar event called “Africa Night” was hosted by the University of Idaho African Student Association (ASA). This club is run by the student diversity center and was formed as a way to share the richness of African culture with other students (Pfannenstiel).

The social climate at the U of I finds a more fitting home for social change since the current reestablished Black Student Union (BSU, not to be confused with Boise State University) was founded in 2005. Previously, a BSU was started in 1971 along with the Black Cultural center, but it then became RAACE (Recognizing African American Concerns and Education). Jessica Mullins wrote in The Argonaut, in 2005, that when the reestablished BSU began, it was on the right track with its start-up. Sherwin James, a graduate student, became president of the BSU that year and, during his presidency, managed to convince Minnesotan Supreme Court Justice Alan Page to speak at a BSU event.

Jessica Samuels is a past co-advisor of the BSU. She began working at the university in 2014 and was a part of the BSU during her undergrad. Samuels described her take on it as one of a lot of positive growth and good experience (Samuels). She recalled that in 2005 the BSU won the Student Group of the Year award, and they had a huge Rosa Parks Memorial Celebration. With a diverse ethnic background, Samuels brought an influential perspective to the university as both a student and academic advisor. Because of her past experiences growing up in northern Idaho, she was able not only to maneuver through a white-dominant society, but also to advocate for a multicultural environment. Samuels’ position as an advisor for TRIO, a student support service at the U of I, put her in the situation to have a lot of influence over the students at the university. However, it also put Samuels in a position to see problems that many others do not. For example, she noticed that the university hadn’t been putting forth enough effort to support the Black community on campus. Samuels remarked that there can be more effort towards the Black community because an increased effort was applied to the Latinx community, and the positive results were vastly recognizable (Samuels). Despite this barrier, she continued to push for change at the university and to encourage students wherever she could.

The same year that the BSU was reestablished, the representation of Black faculty at the U of I expanded even further with the hiring of Rochelle Smith, a reference librarian. Smith came to the university in 2005 and has been modeling curiosity and passionate engagement for students as she assists them in various types of research with the library (Smith). Smith is a co-founder and co-chair of the Black Faculty and Staff Association, and she, along with Romauld Afatchao, is one of the most longstanding Black faculty members at the university. Smith was also the Mistress of Ceremonies at the reveal of the Black History Exhibit held in the library on February 15, 2022.

Shortly after Smith, Mark A. Edwards joined the U of I in 2006 and became U of I’s first Chief Diversity officer with the title Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community. Edwards’s influence extended further than his position, though. In accordance with his position’s responsibilities, he worked with all types of leadership. Moreover, he facilitated a strong response to social climate change as he oversaw the enrichment and teaching of community programs and the university learning environment. A few of the organizations that Edwards oversaw were the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Native American Student Center, the Women’s Center, the LGBTQIA Office, and the College Assistance Migrant Program. These programs flourished under Edwards’s care between 2006 and 2012.

In 2011, Dr. Raymond Dixon came to the U of I and, in 2011, became one of the first Black tenured faculty members in the College of Education. He also became the first Black administrator and department chair for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, in 2018. Shortly after Dr. Dixon began at the U of I, Shaakirrah Sanders began working at the College of Law, in 2012. On account of the low percentage of ethnic diversity on the campus and in the faculty, Sanders was an unexpected resource and ally for students of color in the law school. During her first years at U of I, Sanders was one of the only Black faculty members in the College of Law and has seen many Black faculty come and go. She has been grateful for the Black Faculty and Staff Association, though, because she has had a good experience gathering with fellow Black staff and faculty (Sanders). The association offers support for Black faculty and staff that is not provided or supported by the university. This is because of the lack of diversity of Black leadership at the faculty and administrative level. Sanders contributed more awareness and importance of diversity both in her classes and with fellow faculty members. The awareness Sanders focused on equity issues that still exist in university spaces, one for which many students have been grateful and appreciative. Sanders also became the first African American to achieve the rank of full professor at the College of Law in 2018. She is the first and remains the only Black woman to hold the rank of full professor at the university. Sanders sued the university over what she has claimed as perpetual institutional sexism and racism that she experienced during her time here, which further proves her unmoving stance on fixing equity issues at the university level and bringing further attention to the change she seeks.

One year after Sanders began, the university welcomed Dr. Dorah Mtui as a lab coordinator and manager for the College of Natural Resources. Dr. Mtui brought invaluable experience from Tanzania, other areas in Africa, and Japan. With her background, Mtui is still contributing this experience and perspective to students and faculty on the campus (Mtui). She is an officer within the Black Faculty and Staff Association, which she loves, and is looking forward to seeing its growth in the upcoming years. 

That same year, Michael Satz became the College of Law’s innterim dean. Satz joined U of I as an associate professor in 2006 and earned tenure in 2011. He was subsequently appointed to associate dean for faculty affairs in 2012. Executive vice president Katherine Aiken remarked that Satz “brings a great depth of experience and his leadership as a professor and administrator will greatly benefit our faculty, students, and institution” (Russell). Dr. Satz was the associate vice president and the executive officer of the U of I Boise and Southwest Region and helped open the U of I College of Law branch in that area. Unfortunately, Dr. Satz felt a great deal of institutional racial discrimination during the change of university presidency. As a result, Satz, like many other Black faculty in the College of Law, didn’t feel valued or supported in his contributions and left the U of I. After leaving the university, Dr. Satz began a group called the Idaho 97, which focuses on combatting extremist policies and discrimination. Satz remains a huge supporter of the University of Idaho. He particularly supports groups such as the BSU and the Black Faculty and Staff Association.

Dr. Aman McLeod, in 2013, began helping develop the pre-law program at the University of Idaho. McLeod was also a pre-law advisor and has made multiple career and publicity opportunities possible for the U of I community (McLeod). Dr. McLeod had a dual appointment in the College of Law and the Department of Politics and Philosophy and, thus, was knowledgeable and invaluable to the students he thought. McLeod was very careful to consistently bring an open environment to his classes and let students know that anything is on that table to talk about.

In 2015, Drs. Lynda and Sydney Freeman came to Moscow. Once here, Dr. Lynda M. Freeman became the first Black woman faculty member to be in WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho), a medical education program at the U of I. Dr. Lynda Freeman is an avid activist for the Black community both on and off campus, and she is vigorously involved in the U of I Black Student Union and Black Lives Matter advocacy (Pearce). During her time at the U of I, Dr. Lynda Freeman has given significant input on diversity and cultural sensitivity due to her position as an academic specialist in the WWAMI program (Freeman, Lynda). Freeman has thus been able to act as an outlet and an advocate for students who have experienced discrimination.

Her husband, Dr. Sydney Freeman, Jr. has had an equally distinguished impact at the university. Dr. Sydney Freeman, Jr. became Black a full professor in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences in 2021 (Freeman, Sydney). That same year, Dr. Sydney Freeman created the Black History Research Lab and was previously a founding member of the Africana Studies Program in 2018 (Freeman). He conducts research about the future of minority-serving institutions, the faculty career cycle, and higher education. In 2021, Freeman became the first African American man descended from slaves to earn the title of full professor at the University of Idaho (Kyaw), and he did it in a remarkably short amount of time: five years and seven months. Dr. Sydney Freeman, Jr. as a tenured professor, has worked ceaselessly towards the goal of combating anti-Blackness. He speaks out on issues of race and racism that other faculty or staff cannot (Pearce), and he has and will continue to use that ability to bring awareness to multiculturalism on campus.

In 2015, Hassel Morrison became the associate dean of students at the university. Morrison is a gifted leader with people and had a profound impact on students as he guided them to success (Malott). In his own words, Morrison works “with the goal to serve others. Everything I do is for a purpose greater than my own” (Morrison). This attitude is a perfect example of everything that Morrison brought to the University of Idaho. He served as a compass to students on campus with everything from medical withdrawals to assistance with the Greek community and other campus clubs. His mission was simply to contribute as much as he could in whatever way he could. Morrison also spent time working with the Black Student Union but has said that he wished the University would “recruit more students of color” because of the lack of diversity on the campus.

This brings us to 2020, arguably the toughest year of our century. Despite the turbulence of that year, the University of Idaho grew in exponential ways. The Black Lives Matter virtual speaker series featuring scholars from around the world addressed different topics central to Black empowerment. The same year, the now Black Faculty and Staff Association at the U of I began a conversation about becoming an organized association. While the group is still deciding what role their organization will play at the university, they’re intent on providing support, safety, and mentoring to students and staff at the U of I. Rochelle Smith, one of their unofficial co-chairs, says that at the University of Idaho “there is lots of history that is not very visible history and one of the things we want to work on . . . is to celebrate that history of diversity” (University of Idaho). This is the purpose of the Black Faculty and Staff Association and, just two years later, the results of those contributions are already making a difference. Multiple members of that organization are the driving force behind the exploration of Black history, and they take an active role in the appreciation and emphasis of that history on campus. One such contribution is the Africana studies program.

In 2017, undergraduate Annysia Hoffman and Drs. Kristin Haltinner, Freeman, and Afatchao began a conversation about an Africana Studies Program (Freeman). The following summer, the program was approved, and it became available as an academic minor the following year. The program is currently chaired by Dr. Janis Johnson of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. With this program, students now have the opportunity to explore the Africana diaspora and African culture in its varied manifestations. It is the hope that students will use that knowledge to further better themselves and the people around them as they move into non-university areas of life.

Shortly after the Africana studies program was realized, Dr. Freeman established the Black Research Lab at the U of I. The lab focuses on studying and displaying the history of Black people at the university. On February 15th, the Black Research Lab released a “Black History at U of I” exhibit, which examined the history of Black students at the University of Idaho in a collaborative exhibition. This exhibit represented a partnership between the Black Research Lab and the U of I Library, resulting in the creation of a digital and in-person exhibit that includes more than 500 original documents online as well as a remarkable in-person display. At the Black Research Lab’s grand opening, Dr. Sydney Freeman and Rochelle Smith spoke on how the exhibit sheds light on the Black transformation of history at the U of I. This exhibition is the first but certainly not the last step towards celebrating Black history at the University of Idaho.

Notes

Admassu, Wudneh. Interview. 2021

Afatchao, Romauld. Interview. 2021

Fiske, Paige. “Seeking Establishment at the UI Moscow Campus.” The Argonaut, The Argonaut, 19 Nov. 2020, https://www.uiargonaut.com/2020/11/19/seeking-establishment-at-the-ui-moscow-campus/. 

Freeman, Lynda. Interview. 2021

Freeman, Sydney. Interview. 2021

Freeman, Sydney. “About.” Black History at the University of Idaho, Black History Research Lab, University of Idaho, 2022, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/blackhistory/about.html#the-africana-studies-program

Kyaw, Arrman. “Dr. Sydney Freeman, Jr.. Becomes Historic First at University of Idaho.” Diverse, 29 Mar. 2021, https://www.diverseeducation.com/demographics/african-american/article/15108914/dr-sydney-freeman-jr-becomes-historic-first-at-university-of-idaho.

Malott, Samantha, and Geoff Crimmins/Daily News. “UI Associate Dean of Students Followed His Gift to Become a Leader and Guide for Vandal Nation.” Moscow-Pullman Daily News, 8 Feb. 2017, https://dnews.com/local/ui-associate-dean-of-students-followed-his-gift-to-become-a-leader-and-guide-for/article_adfbd16a-9201-51d8-a7db-7545452f1314.html

Man, Bruce. “Deep Soulful Art on Display in Commons.” The Argonaut, 16 Feb. 2001, https://www.uiargonaut.com/category/news/.

McLeod, Aman. Interview. 2021

Morrison, Hassel. Interview. 2021

Mtui, Dorah. Interview. 2021Pearce, Emily. “Working for Better Support of the Black Community in Moscow.” The Argonaut, The Argonaut, 21 Sept. 2020, 

Pfannenstiel, Kyle. “A Night of Tradition - Africa Night Celebrates Modern Style Dances and Traditions.” The Argonaut, The Argonaut, 14 Nov. 2017, https://www.uiargonaut.com/2017/11/06/a-night-of-tradition-africa-night-celebrates-modern-style-dances-and-traditions/. 

Russell, Betsy Z. “U Of I Names Interim Law Dean.” Spokesman.com, 30 May 2013, https://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2013/may/30/u-i-names-interim-law-dean/.  

Smith, Rochelle. Interview. 2021

Samuels, Jessica. Interview. 2021

Sanders, Shaakirrah. Interview. 2021

University of Idaho. “Shades of Black University of Idaho.” Youtube, 3 Feb. 2015, httUniversity of Idaho. “Shaakirrah Sanders.” Shaakirrah Sanders - College of Law - University of Idaho, https://www.uidaho.edu/law/people/faculty/srsanders.

University of Idaho. “University of Idaho Names Mark Edwards as Director for Diversity and Community.” Item-University of Idaho, Digital Initiatives, 29 Nov. 2006, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/uinews/item/university-of-idaho-names-mark-edwards-as-director-for-diversity-and-community.html.