M. Billye Sankofa Waters

xengriot@msu.edu

Associate Professor

African American and African Studies

Biography

M. Billye Sankofa Waters, Ph.D. – daughter of Mary and Bill – is a Hip Hop generation Blackgirl from Chicago who uses several storytelling modalities to co-construct, embody, and share knowledges. She has 25+ professional years in revolving capacities as a writer, educator, and artist; she is creator of the brand #BlackFolxAreRich. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of Black Studies at Michigan State University.

Works

SELECT WORKS

Sankofa Waters, M. B. (2022). Black storytellers and everyday liberation: At the nexus of home, school, and Hip Hop. Qualitative Inquiry, 29(6), 705-719, https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004221139

Richards, D., Muhammad, G., Grace, W., May, K. Reid, S., Sankofa Waters, M. B., & Winn, M. (2023). “Love liberates”: A kitchen-table talk on Black liberatory education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 56(4), 495-512, https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2023.2291903

Sankofa Waters, M. B. & Temple Rhodes, M. (2024). “What’s Happening Baby?” Lessons from my first teacher, Mrs. Mary M. Temple Rhodes. Urban Education. OnlineFirst. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859241258187

College of Arts & Letters News

College Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
College of Arts & Letters
August 20, 2025
The College of Arts & Letters is thrilled to welcome 28 new faculty and staff members whose diverse expertise will enrich our community, strengthen collaboration, and expand opportunities for students. New colleagues will be recognized during the 2025 Faculty and Staff […] Read Now →