The records include brochures, correspondence, membership lists, minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, posters and printed programs, proposals and reports that document the establishment and growth of the Contemporary Black Arts Program at UCSD. These records consist chiefly of administrative files from this academic program, friends organization, and Black History Month celebrations, as well as various publicity materials for events sponsored by CBAP.

The Contemporary Black Arts Program developed from the Cultural Traditions Program at John Muir College in 1979. Strongly interdisciplinary, the Program was established to satisfy general education requirements, to add richness and diversity to the process of educating students, and to serve as a means of increasing the involvement of African Americans in university and local community affairs. In 1979, the Program moved to the Third College, now named Thurgood Marshall College, under the guidance of Dr. Floyd Gaffney, Professor of Drama. Gaffney continued as Director of the program until his retirement in June 1994.

2.4 Linear feet (6 archives boxes and 1 map case folder)

Publication rights are held by UC Regents.