AP African American Studies Ultimate Guide Flashcards

African American Studies

An interdisciplinary field that analyzes the history, culture, and politics of people of African descent.

Paleoanthropologists

Scientists who study the origins and predecessors of the present human species.

Mitochondrial Eve hypothesis

The theory suggesting a single ancestral woman from whom all living humans descend.

Black Campus Movement

A period in the late 1960s where students demanded culturally relevant learning and support for Black students.

Climate Zones of Africa

Desert, Semiarid, Savanna, Rainforest, Mediterranean.

Sahel

A semiarid region in Africa that connects the desert to the savanna.

Bantu expansion

The migration of Bantu-speaking peoples throughout Africa, spreading language and culture.

Trans-Saharan commerce

Trade routes across the Sahara that connected North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa.

Sudanic Empires

Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires that flourished in West Africa between the 7th to 16th centuries.

Mansa Musa

The wealthy ruler of the Mali Empire known for his pilgrimage to Mecca and immense wealth.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the doctrine of 'separate but equal'.

Jim Crow laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Maroons

Runaway enslaved Africans who formed independent communities.

HBCUs

Historically Black Colleges and Universities established to provide higher education for Black students.

The Great Migration

A mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban North between 1910 and 1970.

UNIA

Universal Negro Improvement Association founded by Marcus Garvey to advocate Pan-Africanism.

Double consciousness

A concept describing the internal conflict experienced by subordinated groups in an oppressive society.

Queen Njinga

A 17th-century queen known for her resistance against Portuguese colonization in Africa.

Black Codes

Laws passed in the South to restrict the rights of freed African Americans after the Civil War.

Freedmen’s Bureau

A U.S. agency established to aid formerly enslaved people during the Reconstruction era.

Cotton gin

A machine that significantly increased the production of cotton by separating seeds from the cotton fibers.

Gullah Creole language

A Creole language spoken by African Americans in the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia.

Afrocentrism

A cultural and intellectual movement that emphasizes the history and contributions of African peoples.

The Stono Rebellion

A 1739 slave uprising in South Carolina that was one of the largest and most significant revolts.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement in the 1920s and 1930s celebrating African American cultural and artistic expression.

Emancipation Proclamation

An executive order by President Lincoln in 1863 declaring freedom for all enslaved people in Confederate states.

Civil Rights Movement

A decades-long movement aimed at ending racial discrimination and securing equal rights for African Americans.

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, an organization founded to fight for civil rights.

SNCC

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a grassroots civil rights organization active in the 1960s.

Black Power Movement

A political and social movement emphasizing racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of Black political and cultural institutions.

Afrofuturism

An artistic and cultural movement that combines science fiction, history, and African mythology to imagine futures for Black communities.

Cultural syncretism

The merging of different cultural influences to create new cultural expressions.

The Underground Railroad

A network of secret routes and safe houses used to help enslaved people escape to freedom.

Nat Turner's Rebellion

A violent slave uprising led by Nat Turner in Virginia in 1831 that resulted in the deaths of many enslaved and free individuals.

Fugitive Slave Act

Laws that required the return of runaway enslaved individuals to their enslavers.

Fort Mose

The first free Black settlement in the United States, located near St. Augustine, Florida.

Black Nationalism

A political and social movement advocating for the unity and self-determination of Black people.

Social construct of race

The idea that racial categories are created and defined by society rather than by biology.

Carter G. Woodson

Historian known as the father of Black History Month.

Legacies of the Haitian Revolution

The impacts of Haiti’s successful revolution against slavery that inspired other anti-slavery movements.

Call-and-response

A musical technique where a phrase sung by one person is answered by a group.

Racial tension in the 1920s

Increased conflicts and violence due to the Great Migration and emerging Black consciousness.

Spirituals

Religious folk songs created by African Americans, often conveying themes of oppression and hope.

Zora Neale Hurston

An influential author and anthropologist who documented African American folklore and culture.

Claiming Freedom

The actions and strategies employed by enslaved individuals and their descendants to assert their rights and humanity.

Collective memory

The shared pool of knowledge and information in the memories of a group of people.

American Colonization Society

An organization founded to promote the colonization of free African Americans to Africa.

Reconstruction Amendments

Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments aimed at securing rights for formerly enslaved people.

The New Negro Movement

A cultural and political movement advocating for racial pride and against discrimination in the early 20th century.

Dred Scott v. Sandford

An 1857 Supreme Court case that ruled that African Americans could not be citizens.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

A landmark piece of federal legislation that prohibited racial discrimination in voting.

Griot

A West African oral historian and storyteller responsible for preserving and sharing community history.

Cultural heritage

The traditions, values, and artifacts that are passed down through generations.

Resistance during slavery

Efforts by enslaved individuals to oppose or subvert the system of slavery.

Street protests

Public demonstrations of groups advocating for social change or justice.

African diaspora

The communities of people of African descent dispersed globally, particularly due to the transatlantic slave trade.

Foodways

The cultural, social, and economic practices relating to the production and consumption of food.

Cultural resilience

The ability of a community to maintain its cultural identity despite external pressures.

Reparations

Compensatory measures aimed at addressing historical injustices against Black people and their descendants.

Migrant labor

Work done by individuals who move from one place to another, often for economic opportunities.

Intersectionality

The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, leading to overlapping systems of discrimination.

Urban Renewal

Policies aimed at revitalizing urban areas, often displacing existing communities.

Movements against police brutality

Activism aiming to address and combat the violence and discrimination faced by communities of color from law enforcement.

Black leadership conferences

Gatherings focused on empowering African American leaders and discussing strategies for social justice.

Heritage tourism

Travel to sites that have significance for cultural heritage, helping to preserve historical narratives.

Womanism

A social theory that centers on the experiences of Black women and their cultural identity.

Black feminist thought

A framework that addresses the intersection of race, gender, and class in analyzing the unique experiences of Black women.

Nonviolent resistance

A method of protest that seeks to achieve social change without the use of violence.

Spirituality in African American culture

The emphasis on spirituality that derives from African traditions and incorporates Christian elements.

Cultural appropriation

The adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture without understanding or respect.

Afrofuturism

An artistic movement that combines African culture with science fiction to envision futures for Black communities.

Intersectional feminism

An ideology advocating for gender equality while considering the intersection of various social identities.

Redlining

A discriminatory practice in housing that restricts people of color from accessing certain neighborhoods.

Race riots

Civil disturbances resulting from racial tensions, often leading to violence.

The Black Cabinet

Advisory board of Black leaders during the Roosevelt administration focused on issues affecting African Americans.

Inclusive education

Educational practices that seek to include all students, particularly those from marginalized groups.

Stereotypes of African Americans

Oversimplified perceptions of African Americans that fail to recognize their diversity and individuality.

Pan-Africanism

A movement aimed at uniting all people of African descent and addressing the issues they face globally.

Social justice movements

Activism seeking to address systemic inequalities based on class, race, gender, and other identities.

Cultural expression

The ways in which a culture expresses its values, beliefs, and identity through art, music, and literature.

Black history education

The study and dissemination of African American history and contributions to society.

Activist scholarship

Research that is designed to promote social justice and civil rights.

Cultural foundations

The underlying values and beliefs that shape a culture's identity.

Civic engagement

Active participation in the political and community processes, particularly aimed at social change.

Legislative advocacy

The act of supporting or opposing legislation that affects social issues.