Color Of Change (U.S) : We Saved BLACK AND BROWN HISTORY !

Thanks to members like you, the College Board will keep pre-colonial Black and Brown histories in their AP courses.

Help us tell the world that Black history matter !

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Dear friend, 

Thanks to the activism of thousands of Color Of Change members like yourself, the College Board will keep pre-colonial African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Americas histories in their AP courses. This is a momentous victory that will affect millions of high school students across the country at a time when learning about the histories of people of color is more vital than ever. All students need to learn that Black and Brown history don’t begin with European colonization.

Help us keep fighting to make sure that Black histories and stories matter in our schools. Chip-in $3

Earlier this year, the College Board announced they would change their AP World History course to cut all material prior to 1450 -- approximately the beginning of European colonization. This would effectively erase the pre-colonial history of people of color from Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East, and take away one of the few opportunities for students to learn about diverse histories and perspectives. Thanks to the public pressure put on the College Board from Color Of Change and our members, teachers, and students, the College Board announced their new AP World History : Modern course will begin in 1200 CE with a focus on African, Asian, and Central American civilizations. Additionally, the College Board will launch a fully funded and supported AP World History : Ancient course that will study African, Asian, and Central American civilizations from 8,000 BCE onward.

At a time when states are altering their curriculum to downplay the horrors of slavery and minimize the oppression faced during Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era, it’s vital that students of all backgrounds are knowledgeable about civilizations that are foundational to the modern world.

I remember growing up and basically not seeing a Black teacher until high school and then we only had one. I remember having a curriculum that erased my entire existence. The impact of forcing powerful institutions to affirm a more complete story will impact millions directly and indirectly and help counteract the narratives told to Black and Brown students that their lives and histories don’t matter.¹ With this curriculum, students of color will learn that their histories didn’t start when Europeans colonists arrived on their lands.

Portraying the full complexities of Black life and Black people is something that Color Of Change is dedicated to. Whether it’s holding news and opinion media accountable with how Black families are represented,² or fighting to have more Black writers and showrunners behind the camera creating media,³ showing the full range of the Black experience is critical in our fight for liberation and civil rights. Help fund our fight and tell the world that Black histories and stories matter.

Until justice is real,

Rashad, Arisha, Brandi, Jade, Evan, Johnny, Future, Corina, Chad, Mary, Saréya, Angela, Eesha, Samantha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team

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References :

1. "Donald Trump Says 'Our Ancestors Tamed A Continent' and 'We Are Not Going to Apologize for America'", Newsweek, 25 May 2018 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/75319?t=9&akid=15222%2E1942551%2ENxqerj
2. "A Dangerous Distortion of Our Families : Representations of Families, by Race, in News and Media", Dr. Travis L. Dixon, December 2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/33252?t=11&akid=15222%2E1942551%2ENxqerj
3. "Race In The Writers' Room : How Hollywood Whitewashes the Stories that Shape America", Darnell Hunt, October 2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/22039?t=13&akid=15222%2E1942551%2ENxqerj

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Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.