AP African American Studies Scholars to Make More Changes to Course

The Advanced Placement Program has worked for several years alongside scholars, higher education institutions, and secondary schools to create an AP course in African American Studies.

We are committed to providing an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture. To achieve that commitment, we must listen to the diversity of voices within the field. The development committee and experts within AP remain engaged in building a course and exam that best reflect this dynamic discipline. Those scholars and experts have decided they will make changes to the latest course framework during this pilot phase. They will determine the details of those changes over the next few months.

Ultimately this work must deliver a representative introductory college-level course, and that imperative will guide its development. Hunger for this course has exploded around the country, growing from 60 schools in the first pilot year to 800 schools and 16,000 students in the school year ahead. Every day, there are more stories about how this course is opening minds and changing lives. Regardless of how many students take this course, each one of those students should have access to the full breadth and beauty of this discipline.

In embarking on this effort, access was our driving principle—both access to a discipline that has not been widely available to high school students, and access for as many of those students as possible. Regrettably, along the way those dual access goals have come into conflict. The updated framework, shaped by the development committee and subject matter experts from AP, will ensure that those students who do take this course will get the most holistic possible introduction to African American Studies.

Virginia NAACP Opposes Governor Glenn Younkin’s Order to Review College Board’s AP African American Studies

The Virginia State Conference NAACP (Virginia NAACP) is outraged by Governor Glenn Youngkin’s decision to review the College Board’s AP African American Studies assessment. There should be no question as to whether African American Studies is a worthy topic of study from an administration that stated a desire to teach all of American history. 

Dr. Amy Tillerson-Brown, Virginia NAACP Education Chair, states,

“Governor Youngkin is using Executive Order #1 to target the content and validity of AP African American Studies courses, which is contradicting his desire to teach a full and accurate history to students in the Commonwealth. 

Robert B. Barnette, Jr, President, states.

“Governor Younkin’s action is an attempt to erase the experiences and contributions of Black people. When Black children cannot see themselves and their experiences reflected in the history of this country, their humanity is diminished, and it leaves them vulnerable to attack.”

The Virginia NAACP firmly believes that if school curriculums do not include and value the history and culture of Black people, then it is impossible to value the Black people that learn and work in Virginia’s schools. The way to erode democracy is to chip away at the historical context to diminish people’s understanding of what occurred in the past and how to recognize what is happening now and in the future. 

The Virginia NAACP is committed to advocating for equitable state policies. The Virginia NAACP will continue to closely monitor the actions of the Governor and his administration on this issue.