Yale Explores 'Black Environmental Thought' in Humanities Course

Interdisciplinary class examines environmental themes through Black literature and perspectives.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 5:46am

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A highly structured, abstract painting featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals in a soft, earthy color palette of greens, browns, and blues, conceptually representing the intricate systems and structures underlying the human-nature relationship.An abstract visual exploration of the complex, interconnected relationship between humanity and the natural world, as examined through the lens of Black environmental thought.New Haven Today

Yale University has launched a new graduate-level course that explores environmental themes and humanity's relationship with nature through the lens of Black literature and thought. The course, cross-listed in English and Black studies, examines works by authors like Olaudah Equiano to uncover alternative perspectives on the human-nature dynamic.

Why it matters

This course reflects a growing interest in the environmental humanities and the recognition that perspectives from marginalized communities, including Black writers and thinkers, can offer valuable insights into environmental issues that have often been overlooked in mainstream environmental discourse.

The details

The class, taught by assistant professor Jonathan Howard, was inspired by the work of Harvard professor Lawrence Buell, who argued that the environmental crisis is also a crisis of the imagination. Howard believes that Black literature provides a 'fecund area' for exploring new ways of understanding humanity's relationship with nature.

  • Yale Environmental Humanities was launched in 2018 as an interdisciplinary platform.
  • The featured course is a current graduate-level offering at Yale.

The players

Olaudah Equiano

An 18th-century African writer who left behind what is thought to be the only firsthand account of the transatlantic slave trade from the perspective of an enslaved person.

Jonathan Howard

An assistant professor of English and Black studies at Yale University, who is teaching the 'Black Environmental Thought' course.

Lawrence Buell

A Harvard professor whose 1996 book, 'The Environmental Imagination,' argued that behind the environmental crisis lies a crisis of imagination, and a need for new ways to understand humanity's relation to nature.

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What they’re saying

“Both the sea and the ship 'filled me with astonishment,' Equiano wrote, 'which was soon converted into terror when I was carried on board.'”

— Olaudah Equiano

“a particularly fecund area for seeking out alternative images for the human and nature relationship is Black literature.”

— Jonathan Howard, Assistant Professor of English and Black Studies

The takeaway

This course represents a growing recognition that diverse perspectives, including those from Black writers and thinkers, can offer valuable insights into environmental issues and humanity's relationship with nature. By exploring these alternative viewpoints, the environmental humanities field is expanding its scope and deepening its understanding of the complex challenges facing the planet.