Advanced Placement Program releases revised African American Studies Framework

Today, the Advanced Placement Program delivers its revised framework for the AP African American Studies course, which will officially launch in the 2024-25 school year. This dynamic and robust course introduces students to the rich history, culture, and literature of African Americans and the larger African diaspora.

Amid intense public debate over this course, the College Board asked subject-matter experts in the AP program, scholars, and experienced AP teachers to revisit the course, consider the vast field of AfricanAmerican Studies, and determine the content required for a course reflective of the student experience in an introductory, college-level course.

This revised framework, which is an update of the second-year pilot framework released in February 2023, will be used when the course officially launches in the 2024-25 school year. It defines the course content and what students will see on the AP exam and represents more than three years of rigorous development work by nearly 300 African American Studies scholars, high school AP teachers, and experts within the AP Program.

"This course is a vibrant introduction to a dynamic field that offers a broader perspective. It invites students to develop analytical skills while examining African Americans' wide-ranging experiences, contributions, and creativity, and the impact of the broader African diaspora on the world we live in," said Dr. Brandi Waters, Senior Director and Program Manager of African American Studies in the Advanced Placement Program and lead author of the framework. "This is the course I wish I had in high school. I hope every interested student has the opportunity to take it." AP African American Studies is an interdisciplinary course that draws from a variety of fields-history, literature, the arts, geography, and science to explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans, from ancient African societies to the present. As with all AP courses in the history and social sciences, students will apply analysis and research skills as they review primary sources and original artifacts.