College Board unveils official framework for new AP African American studies course

The College Board released Wednesday the official framework of a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier denounced for imposing a “political agenda.”

In recent months, the multidisciplinary course has been praised by academics and historians, all while becoming a target for lawmakers aiming to restrict how topics like racism and history are being taught in public schools.

DeSantis had objected to some of the topics and authors that were initially part of the course; those topics – Black queer studies and Black feminism – are not in the official course released Wednesday but students can take them on as part of a required research project.

The 221-page framework details the required course content and includes an overview of what high school students will encounter on the course’s exam for college credit and placement. The College Board – the non-profit organization that oversees AP coursework – has said the first African American Studies exam would be administered in the Spring of 2025.