At UCSB, we strive to keep our African diasporic community united and strong with an array of resources. Get connected with the Black Student Union by attending weekly meetings, check out frequent events at the AdCRC, and gain insight on the academic work being done at the Center for Black Studies Research! We are very proud that our Black and African faculty, staff, and students are setting the bar for success, all while contributing to a legacy of Black excellence.

Featured Event

Legendary Jazz Master: Herbie Hancock

Wed, April 17, 2024 | 8:00 PM | The Granada Theatre

“Hancock shows that it is possible to play the same songs for over 40 years and still find meaning within the notes, stretching and bending them into new shapes.” The Guardian (U.K.)

Experience a night under the spell of Herbie Hancock, jazz’s most versatile and influential keyboard player. As pianist for Miles Davis in the mid-1960s, Hancock helped pioneer a groundbreaking new sound in jazz. A trained engineer, he was among the first bop players to explore the potential of electric instruments and combine jazz with funk and rock. Hancock has garnered a Kennedy Center Honor, an Academy Award for his Round Midnight film score and 14 Grammys, including a prestigious Album of the Year for his 2007 tribute River: The Joni Letters. Stay tuned for a killer band lineup to back this jazz legend.

Point of Pride

UCSB has a strong tradition of expanding services and opportunities for Black students through a history student activism and collaboration with university administration. Our Black Studies Department, ranked 9th in the country, houses world class scholars, including a Pulitzer Prize winner and the flagship journal for Haitian studies.