On February 1st, College Board officially announced its newest AP course, African American Studies, which had been under development for over a year. 

The course will cover the accomplishments of black artists, inventors, scientists, and social rights activists that played a crucial role in shaping American culture today. 

It incorporates a variety of academic fields such as history, geography, literature, sciences, and the arts to investigate the contributions and struggles of African Americans. 

The contents are divided into four units: “Origins of the African Diaspora,” “Freedom, Enslavement and Resistance,” “The Practice of Freedom,” and “Movements and Debates.” 

Grace Lee, a high school junior, said, “I think this course has been long overdue.

The history of African Americans has been a struggle, and it's important that students commemorate and honor them by studying their history.” 

When developing this course, over 300 professors of African American Studies from over 200 colleges across America were consulted, along with black universities and exceptional high school teachers. 

Eddie Chu, a past APUSH student, said, “I can’t wait to try College Board’s new course on African American Studies. While studying APUSH last year, I felt like there wasn't enough content on African Americans, and I think this course will fill those gaps well.” 

The course also dedicates a significant proportion of its curriculum to student-led projects to allow students to explore topics of interest in depth. 

Unlike AP US History and AP World History courses, AP African American Studies will include a year-long research project where students choose an event or individual to research throughout the year, which will be a part of their AP score. 

Andrew Shin, a high school junior, said, “I think College Board’s idea to incorporate a year-long project is a great addition to the curriculum because it allows students to take charge of their own learning.” 

Though many are enthusiastic about this new development, many criticize the new curriculum due to the fact College Board excluded information related to race theory, black feminism, and numerous black writers. 

Many argue that the content covered in the course needs to encapsulate history properly in its entirety and can cause misconceptions in the younger generations. 

Governor DeSantis of Florida publicly went against the new AP course, announcing in January that the curriculum will be banned in Florida. 

He argued that the course lacked historical inaccuracy and violated Florida’s educational regulations.

His stance is raising concerns, especially since he is the likely upcoming Republican party representative for the presidential election of 2024. 

Jeffery You, an AP Seminar student, said, “I can’t believe that this course specifically is taking so much backlash from politicians. I am concerned about the course’s future if DeSantis becomes elected for office.” 

In response to the backlash, College Board has announced that it will change parts of its curriculum to account for the criticism it has received. 

Though there is a certain level of uncertainty around the course’s future, only time will tell of its viability in today’s education system. 

Gyusung Lee
Grade 11
Seoul International School