History & Mission

The Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, founded in 1969 as the Center for Afro-American Studies (CAAS), was renamed after Nobel Prize winner, scholar, activist, and UCLA alumnus Ralph J. Bunche in 2003, in commemoration of the centenary of his birth.

Research Initiatives supported by the Bunche Center

Bunche Center supported research initiatives include the UCLA Black Male Institute, the Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, & Health, the UCLA Prison Education Program, and our flagship project, Million Dollar Hoods.

The Institute of American Cultures (IAC) gears up to celebrate its 50th Anniversary

The IAC is the administrative home of the four ethnic studies centers at UCLA – the American Indian Studies Center, the Asian American Studies Center, the Chicano Studies Research Center, and the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies. Stay tuned for more information about its 50th anniversary events!