Northwestern Professors Explore Black Anarchism

Professors Rachel McMillian and Sabina Vaught discuss Black liberation and self-determination at a campus event.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in African-American

Northwestern Professors Explore Black Anarchism

Live Poll

Can universities foster genuine liberation movements while operating as part of the existing social system?

Northwestern University professors Rachel McMillian and Sabina Vaught hosted a public conversation regarding the tenets of Black anarchism. The event focused on strategies for Black liberation, self-determination, and autonomy.

Why it matters

The presenters aimed to critique modern institutional reforms as being insufficient and instead advocated for addressing the root causes of oppression. Their discussion emphasized long-term collective organizing and liberation efforts.

Professor Rachel McMillian has spent over 10 years working within prison systems to develop educational curricula. Additionally, Northwestern University recently secured a deal to restore $790 million in frozen federal funding.

The players

Rachel McMillian

She is a professor who has spent over a decade developing curricula for incarcerated individuals.

Sabina Vaught

She is a professor at Northwestern University who co-hosted the discussion on Black anarchism.

Northwestern University

This is a private research university located in Evanston that recently resolved a major federal funding dispute.

The details

The event featured an introduction to a special journal project that provides compensation for incarcerated artists and showcases a living archive of their poems, sermons, and collage art. McMillian and Vaught discussed how collective organizing and networking can facilitate self-liberation for marginalized communities.

The conversation took place on October 14, 2026.
The professors met at 2001 Sheridan in Evanston.
Northwestern University finalized its federal funding deal in November 2025.

Culture Shift

This discussion extends the academic and social discourse on liberation that gained significant prominence following the 2020 George Floyd protests. The presenters represent a movement moving beyond conventional institutional reform.

Residents may see an increased presence of social justice programming and art exhibits featuring marginalized voices on the Northwestern campus. These initiatives provide the public with new perspectives on how incarcerated individuals utilize art for self-expression.

The takeaway

The event highlights the growing intersection between academic research and the lived experiences of incarcerated populations. Readers interested in this topic can explore the living archive of art to better understand the creative efforts occurring within prison systems.