Exploring African-American Studies: Perspectives and Challenges “The Significance and Impact of African American Studies in HBCUs”

What is African-American Studies?
1. Read: African American Studies, An Intro.pdf Download African American Studies, An Intro – see attached
2. Respond to 3  peers – as they came up with different interpretations or emphasized items different than yours.  Refute or agree with their claims, but use evidence from the readings. This assessment will address Course Outcomes:
peer 1: Morgan Hicks
African-American Studies is the study of the history, culture, and politics of people of African descent. To me, it is the awareness of the impact that African American history has on everything. As well as the understanding of the experiences of people of African descent. This study allows people to take a dive into African American lives and what has impacted us to get to where we are now. African Americans are Americans who have African ancestors. These ancestors were captured in Africa and brought to America without choice. This study shows how the treatment of our ancestors plays a crucial role in our behavior, culture, and traditions. Some achievements include the creation of historically Black Colleges/Universities that focus on emphasizing Black culture and fair quality education. Likewise, the important theories that came about due to African American study are literary criticism, black feminist thought, and social change theories (Theories and Paradigms of Traditional Disciplines, 12). These theories provided new perspectives to aid in understanding and solving perpetual issues. The controversy over the mission of African American Studies comes from the study constantly challenging traditional academic boundaries (Questions, Crisis, and Criticism, 5). This leads to resistance from people who view the field as lacking in rigor or focus because your thinking is challenged. Many may label African American Studies as overly radical and political because it addresses topics like systemic racism and white supremacy. These challenges take away from the importance of African American studies and paint the wrong picture, leading to no change or understanding.
peer 2:  Lynette Friend
African American Studies is an academic discipline that focuses on the history, culture, and experiences of African Americans in the United States. African American Studies started in the early 1900’s. The studies try to get people of non-African descent to understand the contributions, struggles, and achievements of African Americans throughout history. It also explains the impact of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism on the African American community. African Americans studies also help with social policies a positive way towards the lives of Black people.  
Some of the most important achievement was a monograph series by W.E.B.DuBois  (page 3, less paragraph). An idea from Woodson where he founded the association for the study of life in history to ensure the history of African people would no longer be permitted from the worlds historical record (page 4 top of the page). Another achievement is the result of efforts by Woodson and the association that many colleges began to offer the course for black studies in America (page four paragraph two). 
African American Studies faces challenges such as a decline in the commitment and support from white colleges and universities also from black institutions (page 5 paragraph one). Another challenge is the relationship between the African Americans study programs and the communities outside the universities (page 15 paragraph two.) Lastly, a challenge of the presence and contributions of African American women in the field. (page 6 first paragraph). 
peer 3: Jayda Henderson
African American Studies can impart knowledge on what it was like to be African Americans during slavery and segregation, and I believe that African American Studies benefits minorities in education. Educating us Our understanding of why history keeps repeating itself can be improved by studying African Americans. It demonstrates why historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, have significance to black communities.
Those who have taken African American studies courses have been among the first to receive master’s and doctoral degrees. For both white and black students, African American Studies offers many social questions and answers that would otherwise go unanswered. It established a system of order on campus.
Due to the lack of knowledge made possible by African American Studies, African American academics had been excluded from the field’s founding. due to a lack of a representative, as well as a lack of knowledge and empowerment for kids and families.”The institutionalization of African American Studies has resulted in the disenfranchisement of the American people from the intellectual pursuits of this facility and student in the African American Studies,” states a statement on page 33 under the section “African Studies Now: Some Challenges and Direction.”