UMass Afro-American Studies Pioneer John Bracey Dies At 81

By KENNEDY GRIFFIN

(Amherst, MA) UMass professor John Bracey Jr. passed away over the weekend at the age of 81. Bracey was a pioneer of the Afro-American studies department at UMass, the first of its kind in the country. He has taught at the university since 1972 and was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1941.

Bracey supported countless Black student initiatives and organizations, completed many writing and editorial projects, and collaborated with many prominent figures in Black Studies. Recently, he helped create the UMass Black Presence Initiative, a permanent archive of interviews with the university’s Black community.

The campus is fundraising to set up a graduate fellowship in his honor.