"Professor of Mambo"

"Thompson wants his students to recognize how aspects of African cultures infuse not only the music, art, and dance of the Americas, but also philosophy, religious practice, textile design, everyday gestures, and even vocabulary as quotidian as Uh-huh (yes) and Unh-unh (no). According to David Doris '02PhD, a professor of African art history at the University of Michigan, 'He coined the term that became prevalent in academia: "Black Atlantic."' Says Thompson, 'We can't know how American we are unless we know how black we are.'"

In a 2010 Yale Alumni Magazine article, Cathy Shufro profiles art historian Robert Farris Thompson.