By Dr. Dawn Nichol-Manning
I vividly recall when I was in middle school, sitting at my desk, and a VHS and television screen were placed in front of the class so we could watch “Roots,” by Alex Haley. At the conclusion of the episodes I can remember feeling embarrassed, angry and somewhat ashamed. I went to a school that was diverse, but the majority of students and staff were white.
There was no discussion about how the movie made us feel. We were told that this was what it was like to be a slave in America, and pretty much that was it. We moved on to the next topic in our social studies curriculum.
I remember not wanting to talk to my white peers because I was angry with them because of how I saw the whites in the movie treated Blacks. I did not understand why people depicted in the movie that looked like me were beaten, separated from their families, butchered, overworked and totally disrespected. I was hurting. This is what African American history was for me in middle school.
During high school, I was taught that just about every Black person in America was descended from slaves. I once again felt ashamed being a descendent, because history books depicted Black people as down-trodden, desolate and worthless. That is how I saw myself and now I started to feel bitter about being Black. This is what school taught, so I thought it had to be true.
During my junior year in high school I came across a poster in a local store that my family frequented in Newark. The flyer was an invitation to attend a Black History Month event at Essex County College.
I was intrigued to find out more because the flyer had a collage of Black people wearing lab coats and stethoscopes, business suits, standing at podiums, well-dressed, and looking royal. I wanted to see what history they were talking about. In my mind Black history meant slavery, torn clothes, no shoes, and sad faces. I asked my mom and sisters to go with me and see what the program was about.
When I entered the hall, I heard drums playing. I saw red, black, and green balloons, posters on the walls of over 100 African American people who had received awards, honors and accolades throughout history. It was a sight to behold. I felt proud, and I was excited to sit down and hear what the presentation was going to be about. I sat there from beginning to end and felt butterflies in my stomach the entire time.
Speakers who looked like me came out on the stage sharing information on the Black diaspora, the trans-Atlantic trade, Black philanthropists, Black millionaires, Black architects, Black engineers, Black scientists, Black educators, Black artists, Black poets, Black musicians, and the list went on and on. I was blown away with the facts and information.
At this event I learned that Cleopatra and Nefertiti were queens who were Black, my traditional textbook and movies I had seen of them illustrated them as women who were white. This event empowered me and changed the way I viewed myself. My esteem improved and I was encouraged to the make my way in the world.
I went back to my high school and spoke to my counselor and asked why we didn’t have a course or club that taught the information I had learned from the Black History Month event I attended. From that experience I, along with some of my peers, created a club that was based on discussing true African American history. Despite the fact that we were not allowed to call it a Black History Club, it was the beginning of breaking the systemic mold of incorrectly teaching Black history. This was in the late 80s; work was in progress.
It is important that our students learn the full story of American history, the good and the bad—those stories that make us uncomfortable and the stories of success and resilience that we can celebrate.
It is now 2021, and there is still work to do. As educators, anytime we limit ourselves by not teaching true Black history, we commit a disservice to our students. It’s important to teach all our children, Black and white, African American studies. Our children need to be culturally competent and understand especially in the United States that the fabric of our cultural has been deeply crafted and threaded by innovative, powerful and constructive African American people.
To find out ways to infuse African-American studies into your lessons visit
njamistadcurriculum.net.
Dr. Dawn Nichol-Manning, a science teacher at the East Orange STEM Academy High School with 29 years’ experience, is the president of the East Orange Education Association. She can be reached at dnichol725@gmail.com.