New Black studies curriculum to launch in NYC schools this fall

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A new Black studies curriculum for students in pre-K through 12th grade will launch in New York City public schools in the fall.

The Black Education Research Center (BERC) at Teachers College at Columbia University recently launched “Black Studies as the Study of the World: A PK-12 Black Studies Curriculum for New York City Public Schools.” It was created in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education (DOE), the City Council and the Education Equity Action Plan (EEAP) initiative, a group comprising educators, non-profits and government leaders.

“Building a more equitable society begins with education,” said Thomas Bailey, president of Teachers College, Columbia University. “The launch of the new Black Studies curriculum, developed by TC’s Black Education Research Center, is a crucial step in this effort. This initiative builds on Teachers College’s long history of adapting teaching methods and curricula to meet the needs of all students in inclusive and supportive educational environments.”

This new curriculum was piloted in 120 schools in 18 city school districts across all five boroughs during the previous school year. It reached nearly 6,500 students.

It will now be available citywide starting in September.

It aims to deepen students’ knowledge of early African civilizations and contemporary Africa, African-American history, and the global contributions and achievements of peoples of the African diaspora, as well as to explore the enduring impact of racial inequality on society.

“Every student should see their identity and history in their education. I am delighted to witness the culmination of this significant initiative in our schools,” said Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. “The Black Studies Curriculum’s comprehensive and integrated approach will deepen our students’ awareness of themselves and their communities. By incorporating pivotal narratives and voices into our arts, English, and history classes, we will enrich their educational experience and understanding of the world around them.”

The curriculum includes the study of traditional African cultures, the global migrations of African people throughout the African Diaspora, the continuum of the Black experience in the Americas from the 17th century to the present, African-American history in New York state, and Black history and heritage in New York City.

According to the center, the curriculum is interdisciplinary, culturally affirming, and relevant to all students as they study the history and contemporary landscapes of America, Africa, New York and the world.

It will also be available as open-source material for educators nationwide, as it is intended to serve as a national model for school districts across the country.

BERC is part of the landmark three-year EEAP initiative launched by the City Council in 2021. It includes the United Way of NYC, the Association of Black Educators of New York (ABENY), Black Edfluencers United (BE-U) and the Eagle Academy Foundation. The goal of the coalition was to develop the first Pre-K-12 Black Studies curriculum for city public schools.

Since then, BERC has led a team of influential Black studies scholars and New York City classroom teachers to create a historic curriculum for the city, according to the center.

These experts in world history, American history, literacy and culturally relevant curriculum and teaching have developed more than 100 lesson plans across 14 grades — aligning them with NYC’s Passport to Social Studies, New York state social studies standards, and the Next Generation standards for English language arts, history and social studies.

Lessons can also be modified for students with disabilities and English language learners.

For more information on the curriculum, visit the WeTeach site and www.blackedresearch.org/bsc.

The new curriculum is separate from a new DOE-created Black studies curriculum that launched earlier this year. That curriculum is called Hidden Voices: Stories of the Global African Diaspora and was launched in February after a months-long pilot program.

The Hidden Voices initiative — which has launched the Black studies, Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and LGBTQI+ curriculums — was created in direct response to feedback from educators looking for support to embed content into their lessons that reflect the cultures and diversities of their classrooms.

Hidden Voices comes with posters, comics and images with engaging lessons that include strategies for teachers and leaders.

This new Black studies curriculum released in February is volume 1 — a second volume will also be coming to schools in the future. The first volume begins in the ancient world and ends in the 19th century, while the second volume begins in the 19th century and ends with the exploration of contemporary conceptions of the diaspora.