Institute of American Cultures

Together, IAC and the four centers work to increase understanding of the emerging social and cultural realities in America through: • Innovative research • Events that promote awareness, diversity, advocacy and discussion of issues related to race and ethnicity • Fellowships and research grant programs • Scholarship and academic excellence • Civic engagement IAC was established in 1969 through a Ford Foundation grant to foster ethnic studies at UCLA through the American Indian Studies Center, Asian American Studies Center, Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, and Chicano Studies Research Center. The formation of these ethnic studies programs occurred during the tumultuous and highly charged socio-political dynamics of the 1960s that saw a demand for colleges and universities to confront bias. These four centers were revolutionary in that they brought the diverse voices and concerns of underrepresented communities to UCLA, part of a grassroots movement taking place on college campuses nationwide at the time. Today, the centers continue to advance research, scholarship, art and activism that push our communities forward and promote equal opportunity, greater equity and a more just society. In 2019, IAC and the centers marked our historic 50th anniversary during UCLA's centennial.