Blog Question 1

Being a history major with an emphasis on American history, taking a course in African American Studies is certainly highly relevant to my undergraduate education, especially because of the lack of previous knowledge I have on the subject.  Growing up in a small rural town where there was little or no minorities, African American culture was rarely discussed or even acknowledged.  Aside from learning about slavery in the context of the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, any discussion of the topic of African American culture was largely absent.  Furthermore, during my time here at Iowa, the content of my history classes has largely been void of an in-depth or sufficient discussion of African American culture or history. Therefore, because African American culture has played such an important historical role, this absence has given me an incomplete understanding of American history throughout my life despite the fact that it is my major.  Thus, African American Studies is certainly relevant to my undergraduate education as it will help me obtain a better understanding of the topic in which I am studying.