Establishing a Black Humanities in Education Initiative Through History and Culture

FAIN: AA-290025-23

Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ 08028-1702)
Chanelle Nyree Rose (Project Director: May 2022 to present)
Valarie Lee (Co Project Director: December 2022 to present)

An 18-month project to develop curriculum on African American history and culture for undergraduate education majors and for in-service teachers in local school districts.

Project description: With NEH grant funds, Rowan University proposes to establish a Black Humanities in Education Through History and Culture (BHE) Initiative to support the development and instruction of content knowledge for preservice and in-service teachers. Humanities courses taught by faculty from History, English, and Philosophy will examine the rich history and culture of African Americans to foster a deeper understanding of the U.S. Black experience, with a particular focus on southern New Jersey. The objectives for BHE are threefold: 1) to embed the newly established, humanities-based Certificate of Undergraduate Study in African American Studies for Future Educators in the education curriculum; 2) to develop a hybrid, interdisciplinary humanities graduate course that examines the U.S. Black experience; and 3) to disseminate content knowledge and share the BHE Initiative with in-service teachers, preservice teachers and community participants.