Beyond the March — African American History Appreciation and Conscientious Citizenship
By Tom Davidson
No one moment in time is disconnected from the long struggle to expand human rights. Continuing this struggle requires a commitment to pass on the challenges, triumphs, and lessons of the past to future generations. We must teach the black student from south Chicago as well as the white student from the small town in Iowa to walk in the shoes of the heroes and heroines who fought to make this nation more fair and just.
Every February, our nation pays homage to African-American history. This heightened exposure frequently starts and stops at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Unfortunately, we rarely go beyond King’s historic oration and discuss the demands of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom or highlight the veteran organizers, such as Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph, who made the march possible. The far too common “poster on the wall” approach to African-American history fails to capture the rich and multifaceted components of the African-American experience.
Developing a broader and more inclusive understanding of American history allows Americans of all races to acquire a greater appreciation for the diversity of our nation and become engaged in building King’s World House in which “we have to live together — black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Moslem and Hindu — a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.” As Dr. Clayborne Carson, explains, a deeper understanding of African-American History is a tool “for understanding how did we get here, where we are going, and where we see ourselves in the world?”
EVERFI administered survey questions to 2,406 students across 28 states who took EVERFI’s 306 — African-American History™ digital course, which explores the lives, stories, and lessons of African-Americans throughout history.
Through the survey questions administered in the 306 course, we found that a majority of students (74%) felt learning about African-American history is important and only a small minority (8%) of students did not think it was important. The students who valued African-American history show traits that make up what we refer to as a “conscientious citizen.”
These conscientious citizens are more likely than their peers to say it is important to contribute to their community, more likely to say they will stand up for what is right and more likely to say they intend to vote. The survey underscored these three principles:
Help Out — Among students who say learning about African-American history is important, 69% say it is important to contribute to solving problems in their community. Among those students who say it is not important to learn about African-American history, just 24% believe in the importance of trying to solve problems in their community.
Stand Up — There is a similar gap on students’ belief that they will stick up for what they believe in. Of those who say learning about African-American history is important, 85% of those students say they are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in, compared to 45% of those who do not think learning about African American history is important.
Speak Out — Students who think learning about African-American history is important are also more likely to say they intend to vote (60%) than those who do not think learning about African- American history (48%).
Students who believe in the importance of learning African-American history are more likely to say they intend to be conscientious citizens than students who do not believe in the importance of learning African-American history.
The prominence of African-American history instruction in schools varies greatly throughout the country, from schools whose namesake and curriculum revolve around black identity to schools where brief references to the civil rights movement make an appearance in US History classes. This analysis shows that there are very positive traits associated with students’ appreciation of African-American history and that appreciation cannot exist without greater awareness of the diversity, richness and inspirational elements of the African-American story.
It is our interdependence that allows us to continue achieving what was once considered unattainable. The contributions of African-Americans: from artists and academics to athletes, innovators and activists have made America a stronger, more vibrant, and prosperous nation. A greater understanding of these accomplishments, alongside the struggle and perseverance it took to accomplish all of these things must be a critical component in social studies classrooms throughout the country. Arming students with an understanding of the African-American story dares young people to be inspired by our path and more connected to one another in the future. Together, we can challenge our future leaders and innovators to be conscientious citizens committed to moving our nation forward.
