Embracing AP African American Studies
One could argue that the lead story in education over the past year has been the rise of artificial intelligence and its nascent impact of both teaching and learning — not to mention the rest of society. It’s a story that will continue to unfold and require our attention. In fact, the infusion of AI into education has reached the stage where it’s already become the sole subject of some education conferences.
While I know the question of AI matters a great deal, a story that deserves at least equal billing this past year has been the extensive political backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, as well at the widespread banning of related books and courses, and even the utterance of certain concepts in schools. Like AI, this unfolding story will impact teaching and learning for years to come.
With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down race-conscious college admissions, some conservative groups have been emboldened to go after DEI programs across the K-16 spectrum, as well as in the business world. To date, more than 20 states have weighed or passed new laws designed to eliminate DEI initiatives. While these groups may argue that the use of race in any form is discriminatory and that their aim is to make education race-blind, and thus democratic, the reality is that such efforts effectively stop our progress in achieving racial equity in the nation — that is, stop progress in actually becoming the democratic nation we say we are. The whole point of DEI programs is to support the development of diverse communities that serve all citizens well. And research has made it clear that such efforts are effective — and needed, if we don’t want to keep our nation stuck in an inequitable state.
Regarding book banning, PEN America says it has recorded 5,894 instances of book banning in schools between 2021 and 2023 — with Texas and Florida leading the way. Many of the books are related to race and sexual orientation — that is, to books that support a cultural plurality. Among the banned books are some by African American writers of exceptional talent and vision, including The 1619 Project, created by Nikole Hannah-Jones; Black Looks: Race and Representation, by bell hooks; Beloved and The Bluest Eyes, by Toni Morrison; Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson; and Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson.
While it’s important that we all do our part in responding to these efforts to turn back the clock on equity and justice in schools and society, there is some good news worth noting. Starting next fall, all high schools, public and private, can sign on to teach the official AP African American Studies course. After completing a rigorous research and design phase, involving the input from more than 300 college faculty and guided by a panel of expert teachers — and following a two-year pilot program involving more than 15,000 students and hundreds of teachers in 40 states — the AP African American Studies course will be widely available.
You can learn more about the program from the College Board.
What I like about the course, based on what I’ve read and on both student and teacher feedback from the pilot program, is its interdisciplinary nature, helping students — white students and students of color — acquire a core knowledge of African American history and culture and develop their analytical skills in order to put that knowledge to work in a contemporary context. Focused on four central and important themes, the course exams the Origins of the African Diaspora (~900 BCE–16th century): Freedom, Enslavement, and Resistance (16th century–1865); The Practice of Freedom (1865–1940s): and Movements and Debates (1940s–2000s). The College Board says it will continue to evolve the course as needed, especially as it starts to incorporate events from the early 21st century.
In its efforts to get this course right, the College Board collected feedback from teachers and students and experts involved with the pilot program’s first year and revamped the framework to include more key foundational concepts and core knowledge, particularly regarding community organizing, systems of oppression, and the all-important concept of intersectionality.
In all, this AP program is designed to be the equivalent of an introductory college course in African American Studies and related subjects. To date, more than 200 colleges and universities have signed on to offer credit or advanced placement for students who have performed satisfactory on the AP African American Studies Exam.
I mention this as a way to encourage educators to support the establishment of AP African American Studies at their schools and in their districts and states to ensure that the course is widely available. As noted, the past two years have shown us that a political force in the nation has been aiming to halt the progress we’ve made in developing quality, equitable education across race, gender, and socioeconomic status. This AP course can help us begin to repair that damage. For many students, it may also be their sole academic exposure to the full spectrum of African American history and culture
I say this even knowing that the AP courses and exams, collectively, come with their own set of issues — including the matter of equitable access, especially when it comes to tracking students. While we collectively work to address those issues, however, I think it’s fair to support the AP African American Studies program for the good it can do. Essentially, it represents an important step forward in our students’ understanding of African American history and culture — and thus offers a fuller picture of American history and culture. Students who engage in such learning also improve their ability to process the steady procession of current events related to race. Finally, the AP course helps raise the general profile of such study in school, which is so valuable in a time when we continue to grapple with race matters in the nation. If your school offers AP courses to advance the learning of its top students, then AP African American studies should be a part of the mix.
In a recent statement, Brandi Waters, the lead author of the course framework and program manager for AP African American studies, said, “This is the course I wish I had in high school. I hope every interested student has the opportunity to take it.”
I certainly would have benefited from such a course back in the day. The clearer our vision is of the past, the better we can make decisions today — and the better our democracy will be in the long run.
Michael Brosnan is the senior editor for Teaching While White and writes often on matters of education. He also the author of three books of poetry, including the recently released Emu Blis, Bums Lie, Blue-ism (Broadstone Books, 2024).