AAAS and Me

The more I learn about the history of AAAS in this country, the more I see just how important it is not just as an African-American, but as a well-rounded, educated person. Even as a young child, I always had a passion for history, sociology, and anthropology. I love to learn about and engage in intelligent discussions about race, religion, politics, and culture. But I find that most Americans are especially close-minded and limited in their knowledge about other cultures and ethnic groups, even though diversity of its people is what makes the US what it is.

That’s why I love the AAAS program at Uni. of Memphis. This major touches and builds upon every discipline that I’m interested in, and the things that I learn about can be useful in dealing with people on a day-to-day basis. So many of the issues that plague the black community today has its roots in the exploration of Africa by the Europeans in the 1400s, the colonization of the New World, and the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. While the history of an entire people was stolen and hidden for hundreds of years, new histories and cultures were born throughout the world. Those Africans that were deemed “less than human” or “savages” held on to as much of their history as they could, formed new families, passed on their traditions, and helped to build the most powerful countries in the world.

I’m taking four classes this fall, but it feels like just one. In each of my classes (four different subjects and concentrations), the same themes pop up over and over again. AAAS ties literature to history to sociology to politics to religion. I can’t think of another discipline that does that. The Uni. of Memphis is very fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and dedicated group of professors to teach such a board range of classes and maintain a strong AAAS program. I wish more students knew about the benefits of taking AAAS classes.