Oakdale High – Black & African American Studies

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

The course charts the accomplishments and struggles of people of African descent in America. While instructors will take an approach rooted in historical exploration to teach a course that centers the experiences and voices of African Americans, the course will be interdisciplinary. Through a largely, but not exclusively, chronological approach, this course will emphasize how African Americans have worked to determine the trajectory of their own lives while navigating extensive challenges to freedom, advancement, and prosperity. While some attention will be paid to African origins, the course will analyze the historical, economic, political, and cultural paths from the African Slave Trade through the modern era. We analyze how African Americans forged identities and culture that have shaped our nation.