African American Studies

Home > Ethnic and Cultural Studies > African American Studies

The study of the history, culture, and experiences of people of African descent in the United States.

Slavery: The forced labor and bondage of Africans in America before the Civil War and its lasting impact on African American communities today.

Civil Rights Movement: The social movement, primarily during the 1950s and 1960s, for African Americans to achieve legal equality in the United States, including landmark events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and the Voting Rights Act.

African American Literature: The literary work produced by African American writers, including the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, and contemporary writers like Toni Morrison and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Black Feminism: A movement that seeks to address the unique experiences and struggles of black women, particularly their relationship to race, gender, and class oppression, and how those intersect in society.

Hip Hop and African American Culture: The origins and significance of hip hop as a cultural movement that emerged in African American communities in the Bronx in the 1970s, and its ongoing impact on popular culture and social justice movements today.

The Black Church: The role of Christianity and spirituality in African American culture, including the history of African American churches, their political and social impact, and debates within the community on issues such as LGBT rights and women's ordination.

Police Brutality and Racial Profiling: The systemic targeting and mistreatment of African Americans by law enforcement and the criminal justice system, and the ongoing efforts to combat police brutality and promote justice reform.

Black History: An overview of significant events, movements, and figures in African American history, including the transatlantic slave trade, the Civil War era, Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, and the modern civil rights movement.

Intersectionality: The interconnected ways in which different forms of oppression, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism, intersect to shape the experiences of marginalized groups.

African American Art: The visual art produced by African American artists, including art that reflects African American history, culture, and identity, and its role in social and political activism.

What is the focus of Black studies?

- "Black studies primarily focuses on the study of the history, culture, and politics of the peoples of the African diaspora and Africa."

Which disciplines are involved in Black studies?

- "The field includes scholars from disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, psychology, education, and many other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences."

Which geographical regions are included in the African diaspora?

- "The field includes scholars of African-American, Afro-Canadian, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latino, Afro-European, Afro-Asian, African Australian, and African literature, history, politics, and religion."

Who were some of the pioneers in researching African-American history?

- "Among the pioneers in the first half of the 20th century were Carter G. Woodson, Herbert Aptheker, Melville Herskovits, and Lorenzo Dow Turner."

When and why were programs and departments of Black studies created in the United States?

- "Programs and departments of Black studies in the United States were first created in the 1960s and 1970s as a result of inter-ethnic student and faculty activism at many universities, sparked by a five-month strike for Black studies at San Francisco State University."

Who was hired to coordinate the first Black studies program in San Francisco State University?

- "San Francisco State hired sociologist Nathan Hare to coordinate the first Black studies program."

When was the first Department of Black Studies officially established in San Francisco State University?

- "The department was created in September 1968 and gained official status at the end of the five-month strike in the spring of 1969."

What was a common demand of protests and sit-ins by minority students and their allies?

- "The creation of programs and departments in Black studies was a common demand of protests and sit-ins by minority students and their allies."

In which countries outside of the United States were Black studies departments, programs, and courses created?

- "Black studies departments, programs, and courses were also created in the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela."

When did intensive academic efforts to reconstruct African-American history begin?

- "Intensive academic efforts to reconstruct African-American history began in the late 19th century."

Who wrote a significant work on the suppression of the African slave-trade to the United States?

- "W. E. B. Du Bois wrote 'The Suppression of the African Slave-trade to the United States of America' in 1896."

What sparked the creation of programs and departments in Black studies?

- "Inter-ethnic student and faculty activism at many universities, sparked by a five-month strike for Black studies at San Francisco State University."

Who felt their cultures and interests were underserved by traditional academic structures?

- "Minority students and their allies felt that their cultures and interests were underserved by the traditional academic structures."

Which academic disciplines contribute to Black studies?

- "Sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, psychology, education, and many other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences contribute to Black studies."

What type of research methods are used in the field of Black studies?

- "The field also uses various types of research methods."

What are the different types of African diaspora communities studied in Black studies?

- "The field includes scholars of African-American, Afro-Canadian, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latino, Afro-European, Afro-Asian, African Australian, and African literature, history, politics, and religion."

Who were some of the pioneers in the study of African-American history in the first half of the 20th century?

- "Carter G. Woodson, Herbert Aptheker, Melville Herskovits, and Lorenzo Dow Turner were among the pioneers in the first half of the 20th century."

When were programs and departments of Black studies created in the United States?

- "Programs and departments of Black studies in the United States were first created in the 1960s and 1970s."

What inspired the creation of programs and departments in Black studies in the United States?

- "Inter-ethnic student and faculty activism at many universities, sparked by a five-month strike for Black studies at San Francisco State University."

Where were Black studies departments, programs, and courses created outside of the United States?

- "Black studies departments, programs, and courses were also created in the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela."