TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Eric D. Duke

Eric D. Duke is a doctoral student in the Comparative Black History Ph.D. program at Michigan State University. Within this program, he specializes in Caribbean History with minors in Latin American and West African history. His research interests include the role of race, particularly blackness, in the construction of national/regional identities. Before coming to Michigan State University, Eric received his B.A. and M.A. at Florida State University. He received his B.A. in History with minors in Black Studies and Religion in 1995. His M.A. focused on African American History with a minor in Caribbean/Latin American History.

John W. Grant

John Wess Grant is a doctoral student in MSU's Comparative Black History Ph.D. program. His major field of study is African American history, complemented by minors in West African and Caribbean history. His research attempts to evalutate the influence of American Manifest Destiny rhetoric on community building in Liberia, Africa. He is currently working on comparative study of two 19th century free black communities in Richmond, VA and Monrovia, Liberia.

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

Marshanda Smith

Marshanda Smith is a first year student in the Comparative Black History Doctoral Program. Her research interests is on Black women in the academy. She has four years of extensive Computer Science training from Michigan State University. She received two B.A. degrees from Michigan State University, in Interdisciplinary Humanities (1997) and the other in History (1999). She is the webmaster and designer of many websites including the ASALH national convention, MSU Martin Luther King Day, ALANA & Professor Hine's website.

Kennetta Hammond

Kennetta Hammond is a second year student in the Comparative Black History program. She graduated from North Carolina Central University 2001. She is working on a study of black theological schools.