Donna A. Patterson

Donna A. Patterson, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Department of History, Political Science, Law Studies, and Philosophy at Delaware State University (DSU). She also directs the Africana Studies program and serves as a non-residential Future Security Program Fellow at New America. Her research focuses on global health equity, African diaspora studies, pandemic response, and gender in healthcare systems. Patterson authored Pharmacy in Senegal, Gender, Healing, and Entrepreneurship, which won the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Global Health Now award, and her forthcoming book Making Juneteenth: the Origins and Re-imagining of a Black Texan Holiday (Beacon Press, 2027) explores cultural memory.

Her academic work spans journals like Journal of Women’s History, World Medical and Health Policy, and Anthropologie et Santé. She advises on public health crises (e.g., Ebola, COVID-19) and holds leadership roles in multiple institutions, including the Mitchell Center for African American Heritage and the editorial board of Africa Today.

Education & Professional Background: Dr. Patterson holds a Ph.D. and has held roles at the U.S. Embassy in Senegal, Wellesley College, and consulting firms. Her fellowships include grants from Fulbright, Wilson Center, and the West African Research Association.

Research & Engagement: Her work bridges academic scholarship with policy impact, addressing themes like health equity in Africa and diaspora communities. She frequently contributes media commentary (e.g., Washington Post, NPR) and advises corporations, NGOs, and governments on security, health, and economic issues in Africa.