Recognizing Black History Month with AP African American Studies

Black History Month serves as a celebration and recognition of African Americans each February. In August, CSArts students will be able to take a year-long course looking back with a focus on African American History.

The Black History commemoration was created by author and historian Carter Godwin Woodson in 1926. It started with just a week. Then in 1976, President Gerald Ford designated the entire month of February as “Black History Month.”

“February is a time where you can hear voices that are usually unheard. As an African American, it feels like acceptance in society,” sophomore Austin Ewing said.

Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies, a new CSArts-SGV history course, is an opportunity to take a deeper dive into the history of African Americans in the US. By including more recent history, the course is more representative of where society is today. According to CollegeBoard, students learn everything from “Early African kingdoms to the ongoing challenges and achievements of the contemporary moment.”

Unlike Advanced Placement (AP) United States History, the course covers the years: 900 BCE to the 2000s. The test contains 60 multiple choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, 1 document-based question, and 1 individual research project.

Social Sciences instructor Michael Turf will be teaching the course starting this coming August. “It is very important to make sense of the world and understand how it got to be that way. AP African American Studies gives the chance for emotional connection and delves deep into daily life.” Said Mr. Turf.