The Evanstonian
Vol. 106, No. 8
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Ill.
A historical tug of war
Politicians, College Board push to alter AP African American Studies course being piloted at ETHS JESSICA SEHGAL, BRIDGET BAKER, MARIN UBERSOX, MILO SLEVIN Executive Editor, In-Depth Editor, Assistant In-Depth Editor, Staff Writer
In 1969, then-senior Hecky Powell marched 250 students through ETHS’ Heritage Hall that runs right through the center of the building. Students from all walks of life parked outside of the Superintendent’s office, covering every inch of ground in the main lobby. They had one mission in mind: implement an African American studies course at ETHS. The following year marked the first formal teachings of Black studies within ETHS school walls. In spite of Evanston’s historic pursuit towards progressive action, many other cities countrywide do not share a similar past. Amid a period of national civil unrest, Powell’s protest was a great triumph for ETHS and the Black community. Now, over 50 years later, new strides towards racial equity still coincide with national tension and controversy. “We’ve had Black students here for a long time, and during my time at ETHS, we’ve had a rich history of teaching from that particular perspective—both in core courses and in electives. Of course, we still have room to grow.
As educators and historians, we should always be seeking to incorporate more stories that reflect who our students are,” says History Department Chair Nicole Parker. Evanston is currently piloting the College Board’s newly introduced AP African American Studies course (APAAS). As one of 60 schools nationwide trying this curriculum, ETHS is opening new pathways and learning opportunities for all students—Black students in particular. However, APAAS has faced significant opposition from individuals and government institutions; its implementation is sparking national discourse, harkening back to the tension surrounding race and education from decades ago. From history onwards It isn’t unique for ETHS to be a trailblazer for new curriculums and opportunities. In 1952, ETHS became one of seven high schools that served as a beta site for Advanced Placement (AP), meaning AP courses were piloted at ETHS prior to becoming available to all high schools.
With Evanston’s history of piloting AP courses and reputation for progression, it was a natural fit for ETHS to be included in the preliminary stages of APAAS’ curriculum. According to the College Board, the process for crafting the APAAS course began over a decade ago, but it wasn’t until this year that the first pilot of the course made its way into high schools. Behind the development process was ETHS history teacher Dr. Kamasi Hill, who served as one of four high school teachers on the 13-person committee that worked on the formation of the APAAS curriculum. Hill has been working with the committee for over a year now, and his focus has maintained consistent: prioritizing the student perspective. “When adults get together and create curriculum,” Hill explains, “a lot of times, the focus on students gets lost, and because the vast majority of College Board employees are college professors, many of them have never had the experience of teaching high school students.” Continued on page 20
FIND OUR GUIDE TO THE 2023 MUNICIPAL & SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS ON PAGE 11