Black Lawmakers and Educators Highlight Importance of AP African American Studies
By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Dr. Donald Singleton – Dorsey High School: Dr. Donald Singleton, an AP African American Studies teacher at Dorsey High School in Oakland, talks about how the courses equip students to be better decision-makers. To Singleton’s right is Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson) and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. Feb. 11, 2025. CBM Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and the College Board brought together educators, students, and lawmakers at the State Capitol to celebrate the progress of the Advanced Placement African American Studies program.
The AP African American Studies program is available to 117 schools across the state and is implemented in 42 states nationwide. It was launched nationally in the Fall of 2024 and over 500 colleges and universities now provide college credit for it.
Sen. Akilah Weber-Pierson, the chair of the CLBC, stated that Black lawmakers are “committed to expanding its reach” to all high schools in the state to ensure “every student has the opportunity to engage with African American history in a meaningful way.”
The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and College Board hosted educators, students, and lawmakers at the State Capitol to celebrate the progress of the Advanced Placement African American Studies course. Feb. 11, 2025. CBM Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the success and impact of the AP African American Studies course in California high schools,” stated Weber-Pierson. “The success of this course is a testament to the power of representation in education. We are committed”
A not-for-profit organization founded more than 120 years ago,the College Board reaches over seven million students a year, helping them navigate their journey from high school to college and into their professional careers.
AP African American Studies provides students with the opportunity to explore the history, culture, and literature of African Americans and the larger African diaspora.
The special occasion at the State Capitol included AP students and educators who have taught AP courses in California since the program’s inception three years ago. It also combined an informational session about the program with a tribute to Black History Month.
A news conference was held to share the success of the program and talk about opportunities to expand access to the AP African American Studies’ course in more high schools in California.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) shared their thoughts as a new ethnic studies requirement goes into effect this fall.
“We know that when people learn about themselves – we all do better,” Thurmond said at the gathering. “The other thing is that an inclusive education benefits everyone of all backgrounds.”
The AP Program is designed to academically prepare students to seek out college-level studies — with the freedom to attain college credit, advanced placement, or both — while attending high school.
Tony Green, an AP African American Studies instructor at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland told California Black Media (CBM) that he and Susan Miller Dorsey High School teacher Donald Singleton have been teaching the course since the California pilot program began in 2022 and have been College Board advocates for over three decades.
“We (Singleton and Green) are among the original 60 AP professors. I have 94 students in my AP class consisting of 11th and 12th grade students,” Green said. “We are in year four (of the AP African American Studies course) where I teach three classes.”
Through AP courses in 40 subjects, each culminating in a rigorous exam, students learn to think critically, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issue — skills that prepare them for college and beyond.
“The benefits are profound,” Singleton said of AP courses and the AP African American Studies program. “It equips students with critical thinking skills by having them examine intersectionality, resistance, and resilience.”
Singleton continued by adding “Also, young people have to learn how to make choices by examining their past.”
The AP program began at the start of the 2022-2023 school year with 60 pilot schools across the country. It has now expanded to about 700 schools in the United States. The pilot students took the first AP African American Studies exam in the Spring of 2024.
The course will be available to all students in the United States in Spring 2025. According to College Board, over 200 colleges and universities have signed on to provide college credit.
“The introduction of the AP African American Studies class is a major step in strengthening and inclusion in our community,” Gipson said. “This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of African American culture, history, and contributions African Americans have made in our country and state of California.”
London Walker, a junior at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland shared her experiences, explaining that the AP classes have been effective for her, presenting challenges to achieve success and providing a strong foundation in African American history.
Walker, who calls herself “a law fanatic who watches Columbo,” is a lead closing attorney of Bishop O’Dowd’s Mock Trial Team. She aspires to be a criminal defense attorney and has already interned at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office.
Through AP courses, Green said she and other students study cases that not only concern the United States Supreme Court but how they affect the people who disagree with the structure of the court system.
The AP African American Studies program is beneficial in the legal field because it encourages critical thinking. “It’s more than just a class,” Walker said.
“It’s important to know that AP African American Studies is not just an ethnic study class,” Walker said. “It’s a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) class, history class, and music program. It’s about culture, about connection, and about making change.”
