At Morehouse College, faculty scholarship continues to shape national conversations, and Dr. Tanya Clark, assistant professor of English, is leading that charge with distinction.
Dr. Clark has been awarded a 2026 American Council of Learned Societies HBCU Faculty Grant, one of the most competitive honors supporting humanities research at historically Black colleges and universities. The award recognizes her groundbreaking project, “Pauline E. Hopkins and Afrotemporalism: Time, Memory, and Black Futures,” which explores how Black literary traditions engage with concepts of time, memory, and speculative futures.
This recognition affirms both the intellectual rigor of Dr. Clark’s work and its broader impact on the field of African American literary studies. Her research centers on Pauline E. Hopkins, a pioneering Black writer, editor, and intellectual whose contributions continue to shape contemporary understandings of race, history, and imagination.
Dr. Clark’s project examines “Afrotemporalism,” a framework that considers how Black writers disrupt linear notions of time to reimagine history and possibility. By placing Hopkins at the center of this inquiry, Clark highlights the enduring relevance of early Black literary voices in conversations about the future.
Her work not only deepens scholarly understanding of Hopkins’ contributions but also expands the field by connecting literary analysis to broader questions of cultural memory and Black futurity.
This achievement builds on a sustained record of excellence in both teaching and scholarship. Dr. Clark is a recipient of the Vulcan Teaching Excellence Award, a distinction that underscores her commitment to student engagement and transformative pedagogy in the classroom.
Beyond Morehouse, she has played a pivotal role in advancing scholarship through her long-standing involvement with the Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins Society. As a founding member of the Society, established in 2010, Dr. Clark has contributed more than a decade of leadership and service. She currently serves as treasurer, supporting the organization’s stability and growth, while also helping to sustain conference programming and scholarly collaboration.
Dr. Clark’s selection for the ACLS HBCU Faculty Grant is the result of years of dedicated scholarship, institutional leadership, and a clear research vision. Her work demonstrates what it means to be both a rigorous scholar and an engaged academic leader, bridging research, teaching, and service.
Through her scholarship, she continues to mentor students, contribute to national academic conversations, and elevate the study of Black literary traditions. Dr. Clark’s work reminds us that the study of literature is not only about the past. It is also about shaping how we understand the present and imagine the future.
With support from the ACLS grant, her research will continue to expand the boundaries of African American literary studies while inspiring the next generation of scholars to think critically, creatively, and expansively about Black history and Black futures.