1.1 Historiography of African American Studies

African American historiography emerged as scholars challenged dominant narratives that excluded Black experiences. Pioneers like Carter G. Woodson and W.E.B. Du Bois laid the groundwork for African American Studies, emphasizing the importance of preserving and documenting Black cultural heritage.

Theoretical approaches like Afrocentricity and intersectionality have shaped the field, offering new perspectives on historical events. Primary sources, including slave narratives and oral histories, provide crucial insights into African American experiences, enriching our understanding of the past.

Early African American Historians

Pioneering Scholars in African American History

Top images from around the web for Pioneering Scholars in African American History

• 

  The Graphic Classroom: BLACK HISTORY LEADERS View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Black History Month event program, 1985 | Item 1, folder "Br… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Philadelphia Negro - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Graphic Classroom: BLACK HISTORY LEADERS View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Black History Month event program, 1985 | Item 1, folder "Br… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Pioneering Scholars in African American History

• 

  The Graphic Classroom: BLACK HISTORY LEADERS View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Black History Month event program, 1985 | Item 1, folder "Br… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Philadelphia Negro - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Graphic Classroom: BLACK HISTORY LEADERS View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Black History Month event program, 1985 | Item 1, folder "Br… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Carter G. Woodson established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 promoted research and publication of African American history
• Woodson initiated Negro History Week in 1926 evolved into Black History Month celebrated annually in February
• W.E.B. Du Bois wrote groundbreaking works on African American experiences (The Souls of Black Folk)
• Du Bois conducted empirical sociological studies on Black communities challenged prevailing racist ideologies
• John Hope Franklin authored "From Slavery to Freedom" in 1947 became a seminal text in African American history
• Franklin integrated African American history into mainstream American historical narratives advocated for its inclusion in academic curricula

Impact and Legacy of Early Historians

• These scholars challenged dominant historical narratives excluded or misrepresented African American experiences
• Their work laid the foundation for the development of African American Studies as an academic discipline
• Early historians emphasized the importance of preserving and documenting African American cultural heritage
• Their research methodologies influenced subsequent generations of historians studying African American history
• These pioneers advocated for the recognition of African American contributions to American society and culture

Theoretical Approaches

Afrocentric and Black Studies Perspectives

• Afrocentricity emerged as a theoretical framework in the 1980s centered African experiences and perspectives
• Molefi Asante developed Afrocentricity as an approach to studying African and African American history and culture
• Afrocentric approach emphasizes African agency and cultural continuity in historical analysis
• Black Studies movement gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s demanded inclusion of African American perspectives in academia
• Black Studies programs established at universities across the United States (San Francisco State University)
• These approaches challenged Eurocentric biases in historical scholarship promoted diverse perspectives

Critical Approaches in African American Historiography

• Revisionist history reexamines and reinterprets historical events and narratives from new perspectives
• Revisionist historians challenge traditional interpretations of slavery, Reconstruction, and civil rights movements
• Intersectionality introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw examines overlapping systems of oppression and discrimination
• Intersectional approach analyzes how race, gender, class, and other identities intersect in shaping historical experiences
• Critical Race Theory emerged in legal studies applied to historical analysis of systemic racism and its impacts
• These approaches provide nuanced understandings of African American experiences throughout history

Historical Sources

Primary Sources in African American History

• Slave narratives provide firsthand accounts of enslaved individuals' experiences (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass)
• Autobiographies and memoirs offer personal perspectives on historical events and social conditions
• Letters and diaries reveal intimate details of daily life and personal reflections
• Newspapers and periodicals document contemporary events and public discourse (The North Star)
• Government records include census data, court documents, and legislative records
• Photographs and visual materials capture historical moments and cultural expressions

Oral History and Its Significance

• Oral history involves collecting and preserving spoken memories and personal commentaries
• Oral traditions played crucial roles in preserving African and African American cultural heritage
• Interviews with former slaves conducted by the Federal Writers' Project in the 1930s provided valuable historical insights
• Oral histories capture experiences of individuals often excluded from written records
• Methodological challenges in oral history include issues of memory, subjectivity, and interpretation
• Oral history projects document civil rights movements, community histories, and family genealogies