PERSPECTIVE: AP African American Studies Matters
Jillian Daniels
On Monday, July 22, Gwinnett County Public Schools announced the sudden discontinuation of funding for the AP African American Studies (AAS) course. This news was shocking and disheartening for me, a Black student, and for alumni, parents, and other students. The Partnership for Southern Equity’s YES! for Equity condemns this decision, along with the prior one by the Georgia Department of Education Superintendent.
As a Black student in Georgia, I feel deeply marginalized by the Georgia Department of Education’s actions. Lisa Morgan, President of the Georgia Association of Educators, asked an important question: “What is our state Department of Education communicating to Georgia’s diverse student population?” The message to me and other Black students is clear: Contributions of Black people throughout history don’t matter!
Black history and courses like African American Studies are crucial because they highlight the contributions and resilience of Black individuals who have greatly shaped our society and culture. Black history is vital for all students, just as vital as learning AP European History and AP World History. This course provides knowledge that is not offered in any other history course on an AP level.
Taking the AAS course on an AP level makes Georgia students competitive with students from other states that offer it. It fosters a comprehensive view of American history, promotes contextual understanding, and helps dismantle stereotypes. Including AAS in our education ensures that the full narrative of our shared past is honored and preserved.
Even though the pilot program was initially approved, the Georgia Department of Education’s decision to withhold funding for it for the 2024-2025 academic year shows an unwillingness to confront uncomfortable historical truths. This is a disgrace and a disservice to students in our state. The voices of the over 3.3 million Black residents in Georgia will continue to rise in opposition to this injustice. We will persist in the work of Black liberation and continue to tell our history—because our stories are invaluable.
We will continue to contact Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods to express our support for the AP African American Studies course. We will demand that it receive its own AP curriculum course code, be fully funded, and be listed alongside all other AP courses available to students in Georgia. We will advocate for the course to have the same benefits as all other AP courses, including eligibility for college credit and recognition by Georgia scholarship funds, such as Zell Miller and HOPE Scholarships. If impacted by Superintendent Woods’s decision, we will continue to reach out to our District Superintendent and urge them to identify funding to support the course for the 2024-25 school year.
We hope that the change that is deserved will soon come.
Jillian Daniels is an Alumna of North Gwinnett High School, a Gwinnett County Public School, and a incoming Freshman at Spelman College.
