Teaching Our History

by Tinisia Branch

I really had a hard time starting this reflection paper and I finally figured out why. The lectures and the reading assignments were really interesting because, I am always eager to learn more about the history of my people. However, I never would’ve placed the creation of AAAS in the history section. Once I completed Module One my views changed. AAAS is definitely worthy of being placed in history books. Then I figured out the problem. I was being very narrow-minded.

My opinion was if everyone in the African-American community taught the children their heritage there wouldn’t be a need for AAAS departments across the country. After all, it was my mom, dad, and grandmother who taught me about my heritage. Isn’t that what our parents and grandparents were supposed to be teaching? When I learned that some people were not taught about their heritage I became upset. Then it hit me in the face like a dodge ball.

Recently, I have been doing a little research on the Jewish-American community. Had it not been for the resources on the internet and the people at my daughter’s school, I would have nothing. This is what AAAS is to those who are not African-American. African-American Studies is not the only academia needed. As stated in the lecture and in the readings, studies of all cultures are needed such as Native-American, Chinese-American, and Jewish-American Studies, to name a few. I then came to the conclusion that it would be selfish not to share our history with others. It would be just as selfish for others not to share their history with us. We are all intertwined in this thing we call life. The 100 degrees of separation thing is really true. In order for us to understand each other we have to learn about each other. However, this doesn’t mean we should forget who we are and where we come from as individuals.

This is what AAAS does for us as a culture. AAAS teaches those who haven’t been taught where they come from. AAAS teaches us what the history books in high, middle, and elementary school didn’t teach. It teaches us that we existed before slavery, it teaches us the accomplishments of great African-Americans other than Dr. King or Harriet Tubman, and it teaches us that great African-Americans are still teaching, inventing, writing, helping, and speaking today. AAAS covers it all from the very beginning to the present and it is magnificent. I have learned so much these last two semesters at the University of Memphis. Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful for what my family taught me, but there is so much more to learn. The most important thing I have learned is that AAAS isn’t limited to the City of Memphis, the State of Tennessee or the United States of America. AAAS is global.

I realized AAAS was global when I signed up for the AAAS Listserve. It’s not only those of African descent in the United States who want to be involved in African-American studies. There are people all over the world who want to be involved and it is so amazing. I can assure you my attitude and views have changed drastically over the past two weeks. This is only Module One of this class and I am so excited. I can’t wait to move on to the next Module.