AP African American studies class revised again ahead of launch

The College Board announced Wednesday that it has revised its Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course ahead of the class’s official launch next school year. 

This is the final revision after the College Board changed the course framework twice following political controversy over the class, starting with pushback from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and then from Black advocates and experts.  

DeSantis, a Republican White House hopeful, rejected the class for his state in January after the original framework included topics such as queer theory, Black scholars related to critical race theory (CRT) and intersectionality and activism. The College Board made adjustments, which then set off backlash from critics, who say it bowed to DeSantis’s demands.  

Now, those topics have been added back to the final update of the course, which is set to move out of the pilot stage and become a widely available offering for students in the 2024-25 school year. 

“It is a course made possible by hundreds of African American studies scholars, and it takes seriously the longstanding Black intellectual tradition and, importantly, the diversity of thinking within that tradition,” said Jarvis R. Givens, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a faculty affiliate in the department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University.   

“And while no single class can cover the full breadth, beauty, and depth of African American studies, this interdisciplinary course provides a sturdy foundation for students to hopefully spark continued engagement and sustained study well beyond the AP classroom,” Givens added.  

The final framework includes mentions of Kimberlé Crenshaw, who has done work in intersectionality and is known for pioneering CRT, though CRT is not directly mentioned in the class.  

The course includes a unit on “The Black Feminist Movement, Womanism and Intersectionality.” It also added more time for the influence Black individuals had on culture and sports.  

Optional lessons include topics such as the writings of Malcolm X and the 1919 Red Summer riots. The course also does not require teaching on the Black Lives Matter movement or reparations.  

It is unclear how many schools will pick up the new class after it is officially launched. 

Republican-led states, including Arkansas, have signaled they would not accept the course, with no word on whether that will change with the new framework.