The word griot means “a member of a hereditary caste in African culture whose function is to keep an oral history of the tribe or village and to entertain with stories, poems, songs, dances, etc.” LAB is an abbreviation for laboratory which is a building or designated area where scientific experiments, analyses, and research are carried out. So, like its origin words, the AAMPA GRIOT LAB is a place where African American masters (griots) will teach, examine, and present works that honor the history of black performance art to continue our legacy of artistic excellence and pay tribute to our countless contributions to landscape of American culture and arts.