Ula Y. Taylor

Research Bio

Ula Y. Taylor is a professor in the Department of African American Studies.  She is the author of The Promise of Patriarchy: Women and the Nation of Islam, The Veiled Garvey: The Life and Times of Amy Jacques Garvey, co-author of Panther: A Pictorial History of the Black Panther Party and The Story Behind the Film and co-editor of Black California Dreamin: The Crisis of California African American Communities.

Her articles on African American Women’s History and feminist theory have appeared in the Journal of African American History, Journal of Women’s History, Feminist Studies, SOULS, and other academic journals and edited volumes.  In 2013 she received the Distinguished Professor Teaching Award for the University of California, Berkeley.  Only 5% of the academic senate faculty receive this honor and she is the second African American woman in the history of the University to receive this award.  She earned her doctorate in American History from UC Santa Barbara. 

Research Expertise and Interest

20th century African American history, African American women's history, Black feminist theory, black nationalism

In the News

America on edge: Berkeley scholars’ early election thoughts

UC Berkeley scholars awoke Wednesday, Nov. 4 to signs of a deeply divided U.S. electorate, and no blue wave on the horizon. Despite a surge in early voting, ballots were still being counted in several battleground states. As of noon that day, the race between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden remained too close to call. 

Teaching

Courses taught during the three most recent terms
2026 Spring

  • Slavery and African American Life Before 1865  [AFRICAM 116]  

  • African American Theme Program Seminar  [AFRICAM 194B]  

  • African American Theme Program Seminar  [AFRICAM 194B]  

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Directed Group Studies for Undergraduates  [AFRICAM 198]  

  • Berkeley Connect  [AFRICAM 198BC]  

  • Supervised Independent Study and Research  [AFRICAM 199]  

  • Individual Study or Research  [AFRICAM 299]  

  • Berkeley Connect  [AFRICAM 98BC]  

2025 Fall

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Directed Group Studies for Undergraduates  [AFRICAM 198]  

  • Supervised Independent Study and Research  [AFRICAM 199]  

  • Individual Study or Research  [AFRICAM 299]  

  • Critical Pedagogy: Instructor Training  [AFRICAM C375]  

  • Critical Pedagogy: Instructor Training  [ETHSTD C375]  

2025 Summer

  • The History of the Modern Civil Rights Movement  [AFRICAM 125AC]  

2025 Spring

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Field Study in African American Life  [AFRICAM 197]  

  • Directed Group Studies for Undergraduates  [AFRICAM 198]  

  • Berkeley Connect  [AFRICAM 198BC]  

  • Special Topics in Development Studies of the Diaspora  [AFRICAM 241]  

  • Individual Study or Research  [AFRICAM 299]  

  • Berkeley Connect  [AFRICAM 98BC]