Session Abstract: Despite a highly publicized bans in Florida and Arkansas, during the 2023-2024 school year, the modified College Board Advanced Placement African American Studies program was piloted in 700 classrooms in 40 states. However, secondary school teachers face considerable challenges adjusting any focus on African American history to address state and school district guidelines, including restrictions on approaches that reflect Critical Race Theory or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In a politically charged atmosphere, teachers’ lessons are being reviewed by supervisors, school boards, parents, and the media. This panel includes high school teachers, teacher educators and historians who teach either African American history or United States history with a focus on the Black experience and the central role it plays in the history of the United States. Teachers and curriculum developers are forced to adapt instruction to curriculum material including secondary school United States history textbooks that often ignores or minimizes the extent of racism in the past, its impact on the present, and African American contributions to American society. Events like race riots during and after World War I and the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and massacre are barely mentioned in secondary school textbooks and where they are mentioned there is virtually no analysis of its impact on the country. Students graduate from high school unaware of New Deal era and post-World War II housing guidelines that dictated racial segregation in newly constructed suburbs and prevented African Americans form receiving federal mortgage insurance, creating segregated housing and school districts. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1963 speech at the historic Washington DC march for freedom and jobs is widely taught because of its hopeful message, but not his speeches sharply critical of poverty in the United States and militarism.

Short Abstract: Secondary school teachers face challenges adjusting any focus on African American history to address state and school district guidelines. This panel includes high school teachers, teacher educators and historians who teach either African American history or United States history with a focus on the Black experience.