The Education of a Black Professor in Wuhan, China

Abstract

This article explores my experiences as a Black American professor teaching American Studies at Wuhan University during the summer of 2019. It focuses on the various lessons I learned about China as both a teacher and scholar of Black social and political movements. In many ways, my experiences defied what my American colleagues told me it would be like being Black in China. Given the Chinese governments’ reputation for harsh treatment of intellectuals who criticize the government, this article also offers my impressions of the anxiety White professors I met in China felt about teaching particular topics. Ultimately, the article examines how my experiences teaching American Studies in Wuhan forced me to rethink my own motivations for coming to China, as well as the motivations of the Black radicals I teach about, who came to China because of US governmental repression.