A native of North Carolina, Dr. Ellison holds a BA in American History from Harvard University and a PhD in the Humanities from UNC-Chapel Hill, where his specialty was the historical intersection of politics, religion, and art. Dr. Ellison has been teaching Humanities to both undergraduate and graduate students since the 1980’s His experience of facilitating discussion about race began in 1984-86 when he served as the Education and Research Director of the International Black Student Alliance. A longtime student of social and cultural trends, Dr. Ellison is especially concerned about the tribalism so pervasive among political, geographical, religious, and professional communities in the U.S.