“We’re actually making history”: Examining the impact of AP African American Studies on student perceptions of Blackness and Black identity

• In Event: Black Studies in the Contemporary Moment

Abstract

Most high school students will have minimal teaching of Black history education in secondary schools. However, the piloting of the Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies curriculum has expanded access to Black-affirming curriculum to more high school students. Due to the early stages of the pilot course, there is little contemporary research on the impacts of college-level monoracial ethnic studies curricula for high school students, and recent attacks on the AP African American Studies curriculum highlight the need to understand why this class is important for young people. This study analyzes the impacts of the AP African American Studies curriculum on student perceptions of Blackness and Black identity. We asked: How have students in one school perceived that Blackness is discussed in the AP African American Studies course compared to their other courses? How have these students’ reported their ideas about Blackness and Black identity changed over the course of the AP African American Studies curriculum? Using a Black critical theory framework, we used classroom assignments, interviews, and observational data from one teacher and 16 students across three class periods to consider how this course situates Blackness at the center of history and how that impacts broader conceptions of Black identity for secondary school students. We found that by the end of the AP course, students of all races developed more pride in their racial identities, fostered a greater appreciation of Black resiliency and contributions, and decided to major or minor in Black Studies in college.

Authors

• Taylor Hall, Stanford University

• Jessica Stovall, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Farzana Saleem, Stanford University