African American Persuasive Essay

“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” George Santayana.(Brainy Quote) This means, regarding this research, that if African Americans do not remember the past, past achievements and accomplishments, past trials and tribulations, then history is bound to repeat itself. The purpose of this research is to persuade the audience that an African American studies class should be required by all states for high school students to graduate. African Americans are at a disadvantage in terms of education, because the school system does not require those students to be enrolled in an African-American studies course to graduate high school. Therefore those students are forced to learn about "white" America and know little about "black" America.
The first question was “Do you believe it's fair that we are required to pass a United States History course, but African American History is an elective?” Nearly 75% of the 50 students answered no to the question. A few of those individuals that citizens live in a white patriarchal society and are forced to accept a “white-washed” version of history. Educators teach us about WWII and the Holocaust since junior high school, yet students have not had the opportunity to learn about the Black Holocaust. The second question was “Do you feel that we should be required to pass both a United States history course and African American history course to graduate?” Nearly 84% of students that were surveyed felt that it is a disservice to each generation every time the truth is watered down. Those same students felt that high school students should be required to learn black history and literature because it is American history. The students mentioned that without African Americans there would be no America so the required course in African American history and literature is