Essay On African American Studies

“It is socially and psychologically dysfunctional to be unfamiliar with one’s own culture and heritage” (Stewart & Anderson, pg. 8). This quote stated I totally agree with but what about acknowledging another culture whether it’s your own or not? As a non African American I still believe that African American Studies should be its own discipline and area of study. African American Studies serves a purpose of its own, a purpose different from history and sociology. All ethnic groups such as African Americans have their own unique culture and history that should be fully understood. From what I know, history tends to just refer to slavery and civil rights and ignore the rest of the contributions African Americans had on society but from chapter one in the book I read that, “African American Studies explains and acknowledges the heritage, culture, and ancestral roots in Africa” (Stewart & Anderson, pg. 4). So with this being said, I

who are of African origin and background” (Stewart & Anderson, pg. 4). African American studies should be an area of study because it covers multiple topics such as, history, sociology, psychology, politics and creative arts (Stewart & Anderson, pg.5). It does not cover only history or sociology. There are also far too many figures that shaped history leading to African American Studies that in my opinion should not be ignored. Like Mary Ann Shadd Cary for example, I had no idea who she was until I read chapter 1 out of the book. She established a school in 1851 to help Black refugees from the United States and she became the first Black woman to edit a weekly paper in 1853 that promoted the cause of black refugees to Canada and included antislavery editorials and articles on women and their