There are myriad definitions of the terms race, ethnicity and culture in social sciences literature. Often these terms are used interchangeably with no conceptual rationale. This study aims to contribute to our greater understanding of the similarities and differences between the conceptualization and use of race and culture as they are experienced by African American adolescents. Multiple regression analyses and factor analysis were conducted for 223 African American high school aged students who completed a survey about racial and ethnic identity and a variety of positive youth development outcomes. Results showed preliminary support for race and culture being distinguishable yet intricately related. Results are also presented that compares the relationship of either a racial or cultural orientation on various youth development outcomes.

The purpose of this research was to explore the work of Dr. Asa Grant Hilliard, III (Nana Baffour Amankwatia, II) in three areas: (1) traditional African education and socialization, (2) responsibilities of African teachers, and (3) the need for inter/multicultural teacher education programs. It was also the purpose of this research to explore my African identity development and transformation as I interacted with, studied, and read works by Dr. Hilliard. Data used in the study include a selection of works by Dr. Hilliard, fieldnotes, fieldletters, original poetry and essays, and memory data (St. Pierre, 1997). Qualitative content analysis and autoethnography were combined to present an autoethnographic content analysis (ACA) of Dr. Hilliard’s work. The ACA method is unique to this study and provided a reflexive analysis of documents (Altheide, 1987) complimented by recognition of the events that contributed to my African identification. Findings from the study revealed several major themes in Dr. Hilliard’s work: (a) African socialization to challenge the MAAFA, (b) traditional African education for all children, (c) African teachers as responsible teachers, and (d) teacher education for inter/multicultural perspectives. The final product is an amalgamation of academic and literary writing, and includes poems, vignettes, and autobiographical narratives.

Recognizing African American students still perform academically at lower levels than their White counterparts, they maintain lower grades in school, and perform lower on standardized tests; educators and policy makers continue attempts at addressing these disparities. One remedy is implementing culturally specific material into curriculum to be reflective of the cultural diversity of students in the classroom. Although research indicates the use of material related to the student’s cultural origin can create a learning environment conducive to greater academic achievement particularly with minority children, few studies investigate the inclusion of culturally specific material in the classroom in relation to its effect on teachers. This study investigates the relationship between teacher’s view of culture’s role in the educational process and teacher efficacy and how this may be related to academic achievement. ANOVA’s and Correlation statistics were used to analyze the data. Results show statistically significant academic achievement differences but no significant differences in teacher attitudes towards multiculturalism and the teacher self efficacy variable.

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African American Music has always served to document the history of enslaved Africans in America. It takes its roots in African Spirituality and originally pervades all aspects of African life. That Music has been transformed as soon as it got on this side of the Atlantic Ocean in a context of slavery and oppression. As historical documents, African American Music has served African Americans to deal with their experience in America from slavery to freedom. This work studies how Black Spirituals and the Blues have played a tremendous role in building an African American identity and in raising race consciousness in an oppressed people in a perpetual quest for freedom and equal rights in America. / African American Studies

Depression is a prominent issue in the African American community. However, there are significant gaps in the literature on the delivery and outcomes of culturally relevant mental health psychotherapy to African Americans. Cultural variables, such as worldview, have been noted to impact an individual's overall psychosocial functioning and have significant implications for mental health service delivery. The purpose of this study was to use archival data to analyze the impact of African-centered therapeutic services on depressive symptoms and on Africentric worldview among African Americans. Archival data on 38 African American adults, recorded from 2012-2015, were obtained from a community mental health agency in the Midwest. Each of the adults received therapy via an African-centered treatment modality. The study was grounded in the cognitive theory of depression and optimal theory. The dependent treatment outcome variables were (a) depressive symptomology, as measured with the depression subscale of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and (b) Africentric worldview as measured by the Belief Systems Analysis Scale. The dependent variables were measured twice: once in the beginning and once at the end of a year's treatment. A dependent, paired t tests indicated a significant reduction in depressive symptoms but no significant increase in adherence to Africentric worldview. This study has implications for positive social change by: providing increased insight on the need for culturally relevant services to African Americans, which can subsequently lead to culturally relevant social change in the delivery of mental health services to diverse populations.

African American rites of passage (ROP) have historically contributed to adolescent gender socialization enabling Black youth to overcome the effects of racism and oppression. ROP in the schools provide lessons in Black history, traditions, and culture as they guide youth through the turbulent terrain of adolescence via the communal "coming of age" process. This study examined adolescent girls' experiences in weekly ROP classes at Ella Baker Freedom Academy (EBFA) Charter School over the course of one academic year and five months. EBFA is an African-centered Freedom School in a northeastern city in the United States. This study employed ethnographic methods within a Black Feminist/Womanist framework to investigate how rites of passage support adolescent girls' gendered ethnic identity, self-concept, and peer relations. This study fills in gaps in the literature on ROP, focusing on the participants' ROP experiences within the intersections of adolescent identity formation, womanhood and sisterhood empowerment, and culturally relevant gender socialization practices in school. Three major questions guided the study: 1) How ROP classes supported adolescent girls' intersecting and developing gender and ethnic identities; 2) How ROP classes supported students' female peer relations; and 3) How African values were utilized in ROP classes. The study revealed the interconnected ways in which ROP supported participants' developing gender/ethnic identities, and improved peer relationships, conflict resolution strategies, and personal definitions of womanhood. The ROP classes supported students by: a) developing a critical awareness of sexism, internalized oppression; i.e., colorism, negative racial/gendered stereotypes about Black women and girls in U.S. society, particularly those propagated through the media; b) building appreciation, esteem, and respect in themselves and each other; c) cultivating positive academic identities through healthy female peer relationships via critical dialogue, trust building, conflict resolution, and empowering communications; d) developing personal standards for womanhood using African-centered values; and e) revealing gendered passageways to womanhood and sisterhood in intergenerational and emotionally safe spaces, and across school contexts. / Urban Education

This study elucidates the history and program structure of an urban out of school time program designed for liberatory education for K-16 students. This study aims to define the Catto Freedom Schools Way and examine the extent to which it is being followed at the Hamer-Still Freedom Charter School. This study contributes to what we know about school design and ethnic studies as a strengths-based approach to educating youth of color. A review of the literature reveals that Freedom Schools have been in existence since African people came to the Western hemisphere and The Freedom Schools Way has meant different things to each entity over that time (Countryman, 2006; Du Bois, 1903; Garvey, 1923; Payne & Strickland, 2008; Williams, 2005; Woodson, 1933). Findings suggest that The Catto Freedom Schools Program (CFSP) Way is a combination of two complimentary elements: learning about Black history and culture (Asante, 1980; Carr, 2009; Diop, 1996; Gay, 2000; King, 2005; Murrell, 2002; Myers, 1997; Nobles, 1976) and chain mentorship (Andrews, 2001; Olson, 2008; Welty, 2000). Learning about Black history and culture consists of reading and writing about Black history and culture and assuming African values and customs. Chain mentorship consists of looking up to older people for direction and guidance as well as stepping up in service to give younger people guidance. Hamer-Still Freedom Charter School (HSFCS), a school designed on the CFSP model, is experiencing the most success in implementing reading and writing about African history and culture and having accessible adult role models on whom the students, also known as Servant Leader Scholars, can rely on for academic and personal support. In order for HSFCS to embody the CFSP Way, it needs to strengthen opportunities for its students to step up and provide service for younger children as well as fully develop a spirit of positive peer pressure throughout its upper school. / Urban Education

For this study, the researcher sought to implement a visual arts-based Afrivisual to help inspire, motivate and empower African American students in gaining a culturally relevant education in Euro-American-centered schools. Using the Afrivisual in this work as an action-oriented tool the researcher sought to expose African American students to an African historical context. This research project utilized three African-centered theoretical frameworks: (1) Afrocentricity, (2) Africana Philosophy, and (3) Africana Critical Theory. The problem this work addresses is found in four areas, (1) American history is Eurocentric, (2) African history has been distorted, (3) Africa’s contribution to world civilization has been ignored, and (4) African American students have suffered from identity issues. The primary purpose of the study was to show how African American students may react to culturally relevant exposure to African history and to investigate if exposure to African history is culturally relevant for them. The researcher also hoped to present an effective strategy for Black students from an African-centered point of view. The central questions of this study were, “How do native-born African American community college students respond to a culturally relevant visual tool? What experiences have they had with history? How has their exposure to history affected them?” Both quantitative and qualitative phases of this study were based on data and interviews with African American community college students. Descriptive statistics, including frequency percentages shown in tables were used to present the questionnaire data. Qualitative coding techniques were used to present the focus group data. The qualitative phase of the study highlighted the introduction of the Afrivisual, a visual arts-based and culturally relevant educational tool. There were similarities between the survey sample and the interview sample. The quantitative and qualitative data combined to show the strong desire African American students have to study African history, African civilizations, and to learn about their African ancestors. The triangulation of the data revealed that African American students who were found to be proud to be Black, vowed to be vigilant in future history classes about what they’re being taught, and to present questions about African history. The students also expressed a tremendous need to share what they’ve learned about African history with other African Americans. The significance of this study is that the Afrivisual can be a potentially effective teaching strategy. Also additional researchers may be able to build upon the findings of this inquiry by using another media form of the Afrivisual. Lastly, it exposed weaknesses in the self-hatred thesis as it applies to African American adults, and called for the groundbreaking theoretical framework to be revisited.

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