Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ Dr. John Thabiti Willis will lead Grinnell College’s first African Diaspora Studies (ADS) Department as the Kesho Scott Endowed Chair starting August 1, 2025. The announcement marks a milestone for Grinnell, which embarked on this project in 2023 to establish a comprehensive department dedicated to exploring and understanding the African diaspora. Caleb Elfenbein, chair of the search committee, noted that Willis’s expansive vision for the department aligns well with Grinnell’s academic goals for cultural enrichment.
Willis’s journey to this role began with a bachelor’s in accounting from Clark Atlanta University in 1994. Influenced by Professor Daniel Black, he later shifted toward African studies, eventually earning a master’s in African and African American Studies from Cornell and a Ph.D. in African history from Emory University. His academic exploration led him across continents, conducting in-depth studies on the Yoruba people and their diaspora, an interest that sparked during his time at Cornell. Over the years, he has shared his extensive knowledge with students in global settings, including Oman, Tanzania, and Bahrain.
Willis bases his approach to ADS on the integration of academic studies with global perspectives and community engagement. Indiana University Press published his book, Masquerading Politics: Kinship, Gender, Ethnicity in a Yoruba Town, reflecting his commitment to examining and highlighting cultural identities and connections.
The ADS Department has been a long-standing objective at Grinnell, with roots stretching back to 1971 when Concerned Black Students (CBS) advocated for a Black Studies major. Grinnell initially launched this in 1972, but later dissolved it in 1979. Despite several adaptations, a lasting program was elusive until recent years, when strong collaboration among Grinnell’s faculty and administration revitalized the vision.
Grinnell’s hiring process for the Kesho Scott Chair began last semester, with the firm Summit Search Solutions managing recruitment. The challenging political climate in Iowa posed a potential obstacle, as Tammarah Townes from Summit Search Solutions highlighted. Nonetheless, Grinnell’s campus unity drew Willis to the role. “I was captivated by the support and investment by the community,” Willis shared, expressing his excitement for this unique opportunity.
Willis envisions ADS as a transformative space that centers human connection and interdisciplinary engagement. “Bringing the Atlantic diaspora into a broader global narrative is key,” he stated, emphasizing the department’s role in connecting cultural insights to global scales of influence. With a commitment to exploring diverse identities and fostering cultural understanding, Willis aims to make ADS at Grinnell a model of innovative, relationship-centered education that reaches beyond the classroom.
