African Americans And African American Studies

African American history plays an important role in American history not only because the Civil Rights Movement, but because of the strength and courage of African-Americans struggled to live a good life in America. This paper highlights the many contributions of African Americans that have influenced the culture, enriched the society with their achievements, and shaped the history of the United States.

History can be defined as the past events and happenings within the human race. Of course, as events pass, history changes. In accordance with these changes, things regarding history must change content as well. The study of the human race does not only include one group of people or race. Just like any other history course, African American Studies courses’ content has changed over the years as well. There have been various stages of African American Studies throughout the years. The platform for African American studies was essentially set by the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History (ASALH.) According to Robert L. Harris Jr., in Section A, Chapter One of

the Study of African American Life and History or (ASALH)” was a group that help start and

African American culture and history is important in learning to do the things you want to do in life. Even though they may not have had an advantage, they still where an important part of learning and history.

Abstract: Since the Transatlantic Slave Trade, African Americans have been dependent upon those of fairer complexions to educate them about the culture and history of their own people. Unfortunately, the trip over to the Americas caused them to lose touch with several parts of their being; native tongues, culture/heritage and most of all their self-righteous. Somewhere along the way they forgot that they are creators of every major practice; from metallurgy to agriculture; practices that essentially influenced the entire world. The Transatlantic Slave Trade essentially and effectively brainwashed a group of people. It caused people of the African diaspora to lose sight of who they really are; installing negative and inferior perception of their ancestry, while also installing white superiority through their mindsets. African Americans innately depended on white people for every part of their life, even later slavery. In regards to education, African Americans depended on white Americans to build infrastructures for the education of black people. This unfortunately continued the cycle of white dependency. While African Americans thought they were enhancing their knowledge, all they were doing was becoming more equipped servants to their white

•This course will illustrate African- American history, values, religion, politics, psychology of Africans coming to the Americas, and the development of African-American culture. Moreover AAS 100 will provide students with a sense of what the African American experience is and by doing so we talk about the American experience. This course will discuss:

Life as an African American is one marked with struggle and perseverance, which has created a unique community that, is striving to create a brighter future. In determining the future for African Americans one must explore the past and present of the body and self, the community, and the world through the economic, biologic, and psychological lenses.

African American history is a long and troubling one. The journey for freedom had been a long troubling one, yet one worthwhile. The outcome was one of gained freedom, citizenship, protection, and so much more. African Americans have preserved and endured the hardships they have faced throughout their journey.

’’No matter your social status or how powerful you feel you are, we are all equal. We came here by birth and will leave in death.’’(Sententia) African Americans are one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States. The history of black people in America has come a long way. The Blacks were brought to the American colonies as slaves in the17th century by European trades. Traders brought the first slaves from Africa in the 1600s. I have often wondered by the power of African-American spirit, they lived under the pressure (Aporia). African Americans have been known by diverse names such as colored and the N-word, which are not longer used in English. They were taken out of the home, they were compelled to

Throughout their entire history, African Americans have been making a name for themselves. Their lives in America began with transatlantic slave trade and continued for around two and a half centuries with chattel slavery. African Americans built their cultural identity in a country that was constantly sabotaging them. Various political institutions and the general white population were always planning the black’s demise, but they were not going down without a fight.

My minor in African American Studies during undergrad has helped me in much of my approach to teaching students about history. African American Studies courses were some of the smallest history courses I experienced and involved significant discussions, primary source documents from multiple perspectives, essay writing, and essay exams. They were my favorite courses because I had an opportunity to learn about my racial and cultural heritage as well as information never presented in any prior history classes. The professors encouraged students to think critically and question everything. We were pushed to find different resources to support our arguments and students often found resources to refute others arguments. These courses supported

While the whole country is debating today’s racial issues after the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO and Baltimore protests over the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American, a group of Chinese Americans have organized Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE) to fight for their children’s equal rights in the admissions to Ivy League colleges. In Chinese communities, Chinese newspaper commentaries, Chinese chat groups or discussions at any gatherings, it would seem that Ferguson, Baltimore, and other similar cases had never happened because our minds are somewhere halfway around the world. In this country, diversity, a multicultural phenomenon, surrounds us everywhere we go; however, it is something we look, but we don’t see simply because it doesn’t matter to us.

History, as taught in American schools, generally displays a bias towards the people that benefitted from the events described. With this bias, the culture and accomplishments of other cultural groups are largely ignored. This is certainly the case when Africa and African Americans are discussed in the classroom. There is a tendency in the classroom to examine European accomplishments while disregarding the successes, culture, and the importance Africa, and many cultures throughout the world, played in the development of the modern world. This tendency is problematic, and it damages the education of many students who are deprived of a diverse education with a global perspective.

The first text is by Yolanda Young and she talks about how Barack Obama and his wife have changed the look at African American people. Before America got a coloured president white people did not noticed her, even though her dark color stood out from the crowd she felt yet unseen.

Struggles always seem to be external, but we are always destroyed from the inside out. Ignorance is a major downfall in the African American community due to white-washing and social reprogramming through peers, media, and other daily influences. It is almost impossible receive any beneficial, truthful information regarding African American history unrelated to slavery and the figures in the Civil Rights Movement that only white America deems “positive”. Classes educating the African American community are essential to our progress as a whole. One line from the aforementioned quote from a speech given by Malcolm X says: “Education is the passport to the future.” Africana Studies is one way to assist in the education of younger generations and instill in them the traditions of our people to keep the flame of African American heritage alive.