Black History Class Reflection

Before taking this class, I didn’t know what to expect. A few friends recommended the class but gave little insight on what the class would be about. When I read the title and description of the class I believed that we would be a simple Black history class, but after taking this class, I learned that it was so much more. Before, I thought I had Blackness figured out seeing that I am a Black woman, but after taking Introduction to the Black Experience, I have learned that there is so much history and ideology I have yet to learn or hear about. More than anything, this class gave me the validation and confidence needed to express my opinions and embrace my Blackness. By taking this class, I was able to understand that my Black classmates had the same feelings and thoughts pertaining to finding a place as a Black educated woman in Wellesley and America as a whole. Reading the works of Eric Williams, Marcus Garvey, Anna J. Cooper, and Carter G. Woodson, taught me that as a Black person I need to have …show more content…
Growing up I always reflected on the things learned and saw that we lacked Black history in our textbooks. However since I went to predominantly Black schools, the administration put in extra effort to make sure we knew about our ancestors. We watched Eyes on the Prize, learned the National Black Anthem, and everyday someone read from a book that had a Black historical fact for each day. After taking this class and expanding my Black conscious, I have became more aware of the flaws in America and its educational system. By reading the Miseducation of the Negro, I learned that the social, economic, educational, and professional progression of Black people have all been stifled due to systemic oppression put in place during slavery. By acknowledging the self doubt and feeling of not belonging, this is the book that resonated with me the