Black female authors and activists, Black Lives Matter history, queer Black studies, the term “intersectionality”: these are all core elements to an education of African American history, yet have all taken a hit after the College Board significantly revised its new Advanced Placement African American Studies curriculum.

The College Board should reevaluate their decision because students must learn African American history in order to understand the value of social justice in today’s world and foster an inclusive, welcoming environment within high schools across the country.

According to a 2021 research study conducted by Stanford, simply one ethnic studies class can leave a lasting impact: students demonstrate higher attendance and engagement rates across classes due to a more open-minded nature the class induced among students.

Further, more than 1 in every 10 people in the United States are African American, so it is critical to ensure that history studies are holistic and expand beyond simply a white or Eurocentric lens.

With an institution as established and influential as the College Board, taking education a step back from inclusivity and diversity sets a harmful example and does not do justice to all the students it aims to educate and serve.

The College Board must reevaluate its decision to strip the AP curriculum for African American studies and understand the negative implications of doing so.