Portia K. Maultsby
Professor of Folklore and Ethnomusicology and Adjunct Professor in the School of Music, African Studies and American Studies.

B.M. (piano, composition/theory), Mount St. Scholastic College; M.M. (musicology), University of Wisconsin; Ph.D. (ethonomusicology), University of Wisconsin.

Areas of specialization: African-American popular music, music industry, Black music aesthetics and performance.

Contact: maultsby@indiana.edu

Brenda Nelson-Strauss
Head of Collections/Technical Services of the Archives of African American Music and Culture.

B.M. (flute, music education), Western Washington University; MLS (music specialization), Indiana University; MA, coursework (folklore/ethnomusicology), Indiana University.

Areas of specialization: performing arts archives and recorded sound collections.

Contact: bnelsons@indiana.edu

Ronda L. Sewald
Administrator/Project Manager of the Archives of African American Music and Culture.

B.A. (English & Oboe Performance), Minnesota State University--Mankato; M.L.S. (library science) and M.A.(folklore/ethnomusicology), Indiana University; Ph.D. (ethnomusicology), Indiana University.

Areas of specialization: ethnographic sound archives and recordings, soundscape studies, Middle Eastern music, historical ethnomusicology.

Contact: rsewald@indiana.edu

Mellonee Burnim
Associate Professor, Folklore and Ethnomusicology; Adjunct Professor African American and African Diaspora Studies.

B.M. (music education), North Texas State University; M.M. (ethnomusicology) University of Wisconsin; Ph.D. (Ethnomusicology), Indiana University.

Areas of specialization: African-American religious music, music of the African diaspora, black music aesthetics and performance.

Valerie Grim
Associate Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies.

B.A. (history) Tougaloo College; M.A. (history) Iowa State University; Ph.D. (history) Iowa State University; Ph.D. (history) Iowa State University.

Areas of specialization: African American agricultural and rural history and the role of religion in the life of African Americans.

 

Fernando Orejuela
Lecturer of Folklore and Ethnomusicology; hip hop music and culture; popular culture; pedagogy; United States.

B.A. (English literature), University of Cincinnati, M.A. (folklore) Indiana University, Ph.D. (folklore), Indiana University.

 

 

Charles Sykes
Director, African American Arts Institute and Adjunct Professor Folklore and Ethnomusicology.

B.S. (music education), Florida A&M University; M.M.E. (music education), Indiana University; D.M.E. (music education/ethnomusicology), Indiana University.

Areas of specialization: African-American popular music, arranging, performance, and analysis.