JUNETEENTH: Black Studies Should be Taught Year Round As Part of Standard Curriculum
It has been a little more than two years since the murder of George Floyd and the social unrest that followed. Since that time, many companies, organizations, city leaders, and nonprofits have promised and delivered social justice reform for the betterment of our entire society, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams who last spring designated Juneteenth as an official paid holiday for local government workers for the first time ever.
The Education Equity Action Plan Coalition (EEAPC), the driving force behind the groundbreaking $10 million Education Equity Action Plan (EEAP) to develop the first-ever Pre-K through 12 Black Studies curriculum among other equity programs applauds his dedication to advancing the history, contributions, and experiences of Black people from across the diaspora in America. And, we are honored to continue the momentum of social justice reform by creating the Black Studies curriculum for NYC public school students. The curriculum, which is funded by the New York City Council’s Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC) and supported by the New York City Department of Education (DOE), will enable all students to learn about early African civilizations, the continuum of the Black experience in America, the contributions and achievements of African-diaspora peoples and their impact on the modern world. The curriculum, which will begin its pilot phase this fall and already has an established scope and sequence, will be rolled out in three phases. In year one, the Black Studies curriculum will be included in social studies. In years two and three, the curriculum will begin to be inserted into all subject areas, including math, science, and language arts. Nothing will be taken away, just adding facts, and missing knowledge about Black Studies that will benefit everyone.
And, how better to develop the Black Studies curriculum than to ensure it is curated and nurtured by educators, community leaders, and equity advocates who are a part of the fabric of the Black community? Dr. Shango Blake, EEAPC member and president of the Black Edfluencers-United’s (BE-U) whose vision is to serve black educators, influence others and impact black children, says working with the EEAPC allows BE-U to align its mission with other grassroots organizations, teachers, administrators, and NYC leaders who understand how critically important a Black Studies curriculum is to the academic, social and emotional development of Black children.
Together the coalition will continue striving to influence and develop the capacity of educators and raise awareness about the systemic challenges within education. It will stay committed to promoting a "call to action" that ensures equity and transparency in all schools and to developing a rich culturally responsive sustainable pedagogy that empowers all children, especially those who have come from historically marginalized communities.
And, the community is asking for it! Black Studies, and newly announced curricula like the Asian Studies program late last month, are just the beginning of providing diverse curricula to reflect the diverse student body of the NYC public school system. To spread the news, the EEAPC has been hosting a series of community events at barbershops, beauty shops, restaurants, and laundromats, and has an upcoming Black Studies Summit and Black Studies Block Party to meet people where they are, to both learn from and educate them about what the Black Studies program is, and encourage them to demand it be implemented in their schools.
Juneteenth is about celebration and emancipation, but at the crux of it– it’s about the sharing of information that was intentionally withheld to keep human beings in captivity and in chains. That is exactly what the EEAPC is doing by lifting up and inserting the voices, contributions, truth, and legacies of Black people into the curriculum of the largest school district in the nation. We are righting a wrong to free and advance us all. Let’s not make Black Studies and Juneteenth something we celebrate from time to time. Black studies is American studies. Let’s do it year-round as part of a greater standard curriculum.
From Dr. Shango Blake and Nina Simone Stovel in support of the Education Equity Action Coalition
