By Rachel James-Terry
Jackson State University’s Dr. Ebony Lumumba, chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages, has been named a 2025 Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) HBCU Faculty Fellow. This distinguished recognition highlights Lumumba’s exceptional contributions to creative writing and her dedication to promoting literary excellence within historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The AWP HBCU Faculty Fellowship is designed to support and amplify the efforts of HBCU faculty building and enhancing creative writing programs at their respective institutions. Lumumba’s work at Jackson State is a testament to this mission.
She has co-created the department’s creative writing program, which includes a minor and concentration, and has successfully garnered over $100,000 in donations of support. Additionally, she has launched the department’s writer’s series with the support of colleagues and community partners, bringing acclaimed authors like Imani Perry, Ibram X. Kendi, Crystal Wilkinson, Jamila Minnicks, and Michelle Duster to campus.
“It’s a tremendous honor to have been selected. Black writers and Black schools deserve this support and attention. Some of the most brilliant stories of our time were crafted by minds educated at HBCUs. I am elated that I get to work with the new vanguard of our field and support their writing journeys,” said Lumumba, who is also an associate professor of English.
At Jackson State, Lumumba has led several initiatives to promote literature and the arts. She has implemented a Film and Visual Culture Series for the Department of English and Modern Languages, which kicked off with the screening of “Emmett Till: White Lies Black Death” and featured a talkback with filmmaker Loki Mulholland and investigative journalist Jerry Mitchell. The series is set to continue with a screening of “Below the Belt” in March 2025, followed by discussions with the filmmaker and other community representatives and activists.
Lumumba also spearheaded a department partnership with the Mississippi Book Festival, Lemuria Books, and Visit Jackson to host Emmy-winning host Tabitha Brown’s book event in Jackson, resulting in sold-out attendance. Additionally, she served as the festival chair for the 50th Anniversary Reconvening of the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival in November 2023, which welcomed noted Jesmyn Ward, Alice Walker, Angie Thomas, Sonia Sanchez, Tonea Stewart, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Eve L. Ewing, and others, for intergenerational conversations and scholarly analysis.
Beyond the university, Lumumba is a passionate advocate for education and the arts, demonstrated through her extensive involvement in community projects and organizations. She serves on the boards of the Foundation for Mississippi History, the Mississippi Humanities Council, The International Ballet Competition, and the Mississippi Book Festival. She holds national advisory roles with the Eudora Welty Foundation and the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Lumumba’s academic achievements are equally distinguished. She holds a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Arts in English from Georgia State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Spelman College.
Her scholarly focus on postcolonial literature of the Global South and Black mothering as resistance has informed her teaching and research, earning her recognition such as the Eudora Welty Research Fellow and Humanities Teacher of the Year awards.
Lumumba’s appointment as a 2025 AWP HBCU Faculty Fellow reflects Jackson State University’s continued leadership in supporting and elevating the arts, humanities, and cultural scholarship.