For decades, African American history has been disregarded, incorrectly taught, and outright banned. Beginning in the mid-1960s students at college campuses throughout America protested for the creation and inclusion of African American history classes in the curriculum, an endeavor known as the Black Campus Movement. Years of advocacy resulted in the development of such courses, and with time, the availability of African American history classes increased in colleges and universities across the U.S.
This process was imperative for the development of curriculums offered today. AP African American Studies is an incredibly significant class, a recent addition to the courses offered in the Advanced Placement program. The class, piloted in 2022, is an in-depth interdisciplinary study of African American history, culture and arts. Students cover topics from the story of the African diaspora in America, to the rich history of ancient African civilizations and the diverse culture of African Americans today.
The class was developed over the course of a decade by hundreds of teachers and scholars with expertise in African American history. At duPont Manual High School, the elective has been offered for the past two years and is available to sophomores. The class is taught by Tim Holman (Social Studies)…