African American
Studies
2022 - 2023

Our Social Studies program is the heart of our anti-racist and anti-bias philosophy and curriculum. We believe that when children understand themselves as part of a global community, they build a deep understanding of what it means to be a kind and compassionate person, to have respect for all people, and to understand that what we do in our part of the world is connected to people all over the globe. Throughout this program, we focus on and highlight voices of resistance as well as help students understand the mechanisms of systemic oppression. Learning difficult history and current events can be challenging for a student of any age; through the knowledge students gain in this program, we aim to help all students feel empowered as agents of social justice, either as part of their own community or as allies.
City Kids' Course for 2022 – 2023:
City Kids is offering a year-long course in African American Studies. This course will begin by looking at civilizations in Africa, pre-transatlantic slave trade, and then move in a mostly linear fashion up until the present day, including The Black Lives Matter Movement and Afro-Futurism. The course will focus on various modes of resistance, resistance movements, and figures of resistance; we will also look at how music, art, and literature are an important part of that resistance.
Course materials may include but are not limited to literature, essays, music, and documentaries. Students will be expected to read a minimum of ten full length books. Classes will be mostly discussion based, and writing assignments and other research projects will be assigned as independent work. This course will be taught by City Kids' founder, Dr. Stacey Cohen.
*While this course cannot cover everything there is to cover, it is intended to further students' knowledge and critical thinking skills using both primary and secondary sources. One of the goals of this course is to encourage students to be excited by the material so that at the end of the year they want to read more African American authors and continue to learn. It is also the goal of this course to prepare students for high education.
Where and When:
North Michigan Park, D.C.
Mid September to the end of May
Museum Trips:
On some days, the class will meet at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Students will also learn to access the Museum’s material online during some of our classes.
Target Age: Advanced Upper Middle School and High School
*Please note, this course is for academically advanced students who can handle the rigors of advanced reading material, research projects, writing assignments, and mature classroom discussions.
To register, please contact us at citykidscoop@gmail.com.