Africa Center for Strategic Studies
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) is self-described as "a U.S. Department of Defense institution established and funded by Congress for the study of security issues relating to Africa and serving as a forum for bilateral and multilateral research, communication, and exchange of ideas involving military and civilian participants."[1]
Established
1999
Amanda Dory
National Defense University, 300 5th Avenue, Building 20, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC 20319-5066
It is a Regional Center of the National Defense University, which describes it as "[supporting] United States foreign and security policies by strengthening the strategic capacity of African states to identify and resolve security challenges in ways that promote civil-military cooperation, respect for democratic values, and safeguard human rights."[2]
Origin[edit]
In 1994 the United States European Command petitioned the Chairman of the US House International Relations Committee to create a Center on African Affairs that emulated the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies was formally established in March 1999. In 2004, the Center relocated to Building 20 (Grant Hall) on the campus of the Department of Defense’s National Defense University at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., where it is one of five regional centers.
Grant Hall is the last remaining remnant of the Washington Federal Penitentiary, built in 1829 & demolished in 1867. It is the site of the Lincoln assassination conspirators trial, which took place in a makeshift courtroom on the third floor...which had held the penitentiary laundry. All eight conspirators were found guilty and four were sentenced to be hanged. The hanging occurred (next to what is now called Grant Hall) on July 7, 1865. The courtroom has been restored to its 1865 appearance, and hosts public tours on a quarterly basis.
In 2007, ACSS began a working partnership with the recently established U.S. Africa Command.
ACSS is one of five regional centers that fall under the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The other centers include: