Roy Bryce-Laporte

Roy Simon Bryce-Laporte (born Roy Laporte; September 7, 1933 in Panama City – July 30, 2012 in Sykesville, Maryland) was a sociologist who established one of the first African-American studies departments.

Biography Roy Simon Laporte was born and raised in the Republic of Panama, in a family of mixed West Indian and African ancestry.

Bryce-Laporte attended the University of Panama, earning an associate degree, before earning bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and studying at the University of Puerto Rico. The Yale department's approach to African-American studies, and Bryce-Laporte's as well, centered not just on African-American history in the United States but on African experience in the entire Western hemisphere (the hemispheric studies approach) and what has come to be called the African diaspora.

After Yale, Bryce-Laporte taught at a variety of institutions including College of Staten Island at CUNY, Syracuse University, Catholic University of America, Howard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Colorado College. Bryce-Laporte, "Black Immigrants: The Experience of Invisibility and Inequality", Journal of Black Studies, v.3, pp. 20–56 (1972) Testimony on Immigration before the US House Select Committee on Population (1978) Testimony on the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1982, before the US House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, Subcommittee on Census and Population (1983)

Awards Danforth Fellowship "Man of the Year", Panamanian Council of New York City Afro-Latino Institute award Distinguished Service Award, Yale Alumni Association