Welcoming CAAAS to campus

The Rice community came out in force to celebrate the official launch of the university’s new Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS). As CAAAS is jointly housed in both schools, Dean of Humanities Kathleen Canning and interim Dean of Social Sciences Susan McIntosh gave opening remarks, with Canning noting in particular the tremendous student support and demand for the new center.

Following those remarks, CAAAS founding director Anthony Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and professor of religion, welcomed the crowd of guests packed into the lobby of the Humanities building. Afterward, the celebration spilled outside into the courtyard as guests mingled, munched on miniature sandwiches and enjoyed music from a group of Shepherd School students. (Photos by Jeff Fitlow)