Grinnell College Appoints John Thabiti Willis, Ph.D., as Inaugural Kesho Scott Endowed Chair in African Diaspora Studies
Grinnell College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John Thabiti Willis as the inaugural Kesho Scott Endowed Chair in African Diaspora Studies (ADS). Willis, an accomplished scholar and educator with an extensive background in African history, diaspora studies, and interdisciplinary research, will lead the College’s newly established Department of African Diaspora Studies. His appointment marks a significant step in Grinnell’s commitment to a diverse, socially just, and globally informed curriculum.
Willis brings a wealth of experience from his role as associate professor of history and former director of Africana studies at Carleton College, along with his work as an affiliate faculty member at the Africa Institute in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. His interdisciplinary approach to the study of the global African experience will be invaluable as Grinnell College establishes African diaspora studies as a core academic focus. Willis’ research explores the cultural and social factors that have shaped the history of Africans and their descendants in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean Worlds. His work investigates how historical actors produce evidence for targeted audiences, employing diverse methods to explore the relationship between power and knowledge production and the enduring legacies of empires.
“I am deeply honored to lead the establishment of Grinnell’s Department of African Diaspora Studies,” said Willis. “I am committed to developing African Diaspora Studies as a vibrant intellectual and community space that honors the rich, shared, and varied experiences and cultures of the diaspora. The department will be guided by values of curiosity and reflection, creativity and ingenuity, dignity and justice, and honor and reciprocity. These principles will shape how we uphold Grinnell’s mission and advance its global legacy. This role offers an exciting opportunity to cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration, foster student engagement, and promote innovative scholarship that bridges academic inquiry with social impact.”
Willis’ work has been recognized for its paradigm-shifting impact on the study of the diaspora and its interdisciplinary scope. He has directed numerous successful off-campus study programs in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, and Tanzania, facilitating transformative educational experiences for students. His scholarship on the historical and cultural intersections of Africa and the diaspora has been widely published and awarded prestigious grants, including support from the Mellon Foundation for his research on the involvement of the African diaspora in the history and legacy of slavery in the Indian Ocean World.
His scholarly publications include an award-winning book, Masquerading Politics: Kinship, Gender, Ethnicity in a Yoruba Town (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2018). Willis has also authored numerous articles for peer-reviewed journals, anthologies, and other academic publications. He has been invited to speak at many academic conferences, workshops, and institutions.
“From a rich pool of candidates for the Dr. Kesho Scott Endowed Chair in African Diaspora Studies, Dr. Willis’ bold vision for the new department stood out as particularly consistent with the foundation set in place by Grinnell’s African diaspora studies steering committee,” said Caleb Elfenbein, chair of the search committee. Elfenbein, who is also associate dean for faculty development and diversity, equity, and inclusion, adds, “His work as a scholar and teacher, which spans multiple African and African diasporic settings, and his significant experience creating study abroad opportunities for undergraduates, position him to build the new department through partnerships on and off campus. Dr. Willis’ deep curiosity, his remarkable preparation, and his thoughtful engagement throughout the search process leave me incredibly excited to see where his leadership takes African diaspora studies at Grinnell. It is an exciting moment in our College’s history!”
Grinnell’s Department of African Diaspora Studies is committed to drawing upon the strength of Black intellectual traditions while also charting forward-looking paths for equitable community building. Willis’ vision and leadership will be key to expanding this vital field of study at Grinnell College.
President Anne F. Harris shared, “Dr. Willis’ scholarship and leadership are visionary. His innovative teaching and research, and his commitment to global engagement, amplify Grinnell’s mission to foster inquiry and prepare students for a lifetime of purpose and positive change. We are thrilled to welcome him to the College and look forward to the tremendous impact he will make.”
Willis holds a Ph.D. in African history from Emory University, a master’s in African and African American studies from Cornell University, and a B.A. in accounting from Clark Atlanta University. He has also served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies at the University of Virginia and completed advanced studies in geographic information systems (G.I.S.) at Harvard University.
His appointment as the inaugural Kesho Scott Endowed Chair in African Diaspora Studies begins on July 1, 2025. He is a networker and a committed, energetic, and collaborative leader, with a demonstrated record of service that has equipped him with the vision and the interpersonal and organizational skills necessary to build an internationally distinguished ADS department at Grinnell. We look forward to the dynamic leadership he will bring to this role.
About the Kesho Scott Endowed Chair in African Diaspora Studies
The newly created endowed chair for African Diaspora Studies is funded with robust support from alumni and named in honor of Dr. Kesho Scott, DSS ’21. Over her 38 years at Grinnell College, Scott has profoundly impacted generations of students with her considerable intellect, passion, and expertise. As an eminent scholar, award-winning writer, and internationally renowned diversity trainer, she has made lasting contributions to the Grinnell community and beyond. She has been a driving force behind the creation of Grinnell’s new Department of African Diaspora Studies; learn more about how Scott became the namesake for the inaugural endowed chair here.