The Last Word

African American studies has opened my eyes to a variety of topics that I had never touched in any of the other curriculums I have studied here at the University of Oklahoma. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to go to a university that offers many diverse classes in order to create more well rounded students. I feel that African American studies classes, along with other cultural enriching classes, are essential to every students core curriculum. By taking said classes, students are able to broaden their horizons and learn more about a culture that otherwise, they may have never learned about.
African American studies has truly changed the way I view the African American experience in today’s world. Throughout the class, I received so much vital information that ranged from historical figures all the way to contemporary issues( African Americans in the media). What I really appreciated about the class was the range of topics that we covered. I really enjoyed learning about the history of the African American race. I never knew that the slave trade extended so much further than the civil war era here in the US. Moreover, it was interesting to cover topics that often are not discussed in everyday conversation. For instance, I had never openly discussed the “N word” with Black students before. I was truly intrigued to hear so many opinions that matched my own. It may sound close minded, but I had always figured that Black people were generally not offended by the word as long as it was used among confidants. But because of this class and further inspection of racially charged topics, I learned that that was not the case at all. You cannot make assumptions about an individual regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin and so on.
Furthermore, we discussed issues concerning African Americans in media. This topic was particularly interesting to me since I am an advertising major. These issues are vital to my investigations in ad research, as I will be creating media messages that must speak to a wide ranging audience. By discussing African Americans in media, I was able to recognize some of the common stereotypes that I grew up with all my life. The media, unbeknownst to me, had saturated my perception of what African Americans are and what their attitudes encompass. Because of these media structured images of the Black family, I was unable to form my own opinions and bought into a pre-packaged notion of what the Black race was about. I am thankful that I had this class to clarify a lot of the misconceptions that I had.
As a minority, I feel a very strong kinship with others who have endured the setbacks of an often times, prejudiced society. African American studies helped deepen my understanding of race and how it is socially constructed. I have always believed that cultural enriching programs are essential for future generations to live in peace and harmony. It is up to ourselves to learn more, to crave the knowledge that ultimately will help us become more accepting people in our daily lives. With the election of President Obama, we have already made huge strides in battling racism. As we are the first “global” generation, I feel that my peers and I have worked hard to blur boundaries that have been so deeply rooted in our American history. Although the battle may not be won, I feel that I have made my own small contribution by taking this African American studies class. I have always felt that knowledge is power and thus have made sure to continue my education. It is because of classes like this, that students can look beyond their own sense of self, to a different culture, with which they can learn and grow from.