Partnership with Prairie View A&M: Teaching African American Studies Initiative

Geographic Scope: United States

A three-year collaboration between the National Humanities Center and the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A&M University to support effective teaching about the African American experience and elevate scholarly work of Prairie View faculty and alumni. Designed as a pedagogical response to persistent, race-based inequities.

1. Teaching African American Studies Summer Institutes

• Format: Intensive, five-day professional development institutes for K–12 educators
• Timing: Annual summer institutes (first held July 5–9, 2022)
• Codirectors: NHC education programs team and Prairie View faculty
• Themes: Race, place, and social justice through humanities lens
• Participant Selection: National pool of K–12 educator applicants
• Outcomes: Participating teachers create instructional resources shared through Humanities in Class Digital Library
• First Institute Topic: "Understanding the Long View of the African Diaspora" (July 5–9, 2022, at NHC)

2. Virtual Institutes for College/University Faculty: Podcasting the Humanities

• Target: Prairie View faculty and college/university educators
• Format: Five-day virtual institute
• Content: Hands-on training to translate research, commentary, and community-sourced narratives into podcast episodes
• Goal: Help public audiences appreciate scholarly perspectives and gain deeper knowledge about important topics
• Timing: Annual institutes (first held June 27–July 1, 2022)

3. Graduate Student Summer Teaching and Learning Institutes

• Target: Graduate students from Prairie View A&M and alumni pursuing graduate work with humanistic focus
• Capacity: Up to 10 spaces allocated annually
• Format: Week-long intensive training
• Content: Led by prominent scholars, master educators, and technology experts on translating research into meaningful learning experiences
• Timing: Annual institutes (2022 held virtually July 11–15)

Context & Significance

• Builds on NHC's work with funders like Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and UNCF to support HBCU faculty research
• Currently provides up to 3 fellowships per year for Historically Black institution scholars
• Addresses need for clear understanding of how historical injustices continue to shape lives, especially for people of color
• Provides teachers with scholarly resources and skills needed to address challenging material

Partnership Institution

Prairie View A&M University

• Second-oldest public institution of higher education in Texas
• Designated "institution of the first class" in Texas Constitution
• Offers baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees through eight colleges and schools
• Member of The Texas A&M University System
• Land-grant mission with focus on excellence in teaching, research, and service
• Known for producing engineers, nurses, and educators