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The Power of Perspective: How Different Black History Curriculums Influence Collective Action Intentions among Black Adults
Location: East Ballroom
Mentor: Dr. Simon Howard
Currently, there are no federal mandates on how history should be taught in the United States. As a result, the integration of Black history varies widely, often influenced by state politics. Given this variability, this study examines how different framing of Black history—critical (i.e., analytic approach to history emphasizing systemic power structures, historical oppression, and the role of collective action) vs. traditional/non-critical (i.e., nation-centered approach emphasizing patriotism, major historical events, and civic competency)—affect Black Americans' collective action intentions. Drawing on the dual pathway model of collective action, we hypothesized that a critical Black history curriculum would promote collective action intentions among Black Americans. To test this hypothesis, we randomly assigned participants to three conditions where we had them read either a critical Black history passage, a traditional Black history passage or a passage not related to history (i.e., chemistry passage [control condition]). After reading the passage, participants completed measures assessing their collective action intentions, group-based anger, hope, collective efficacy, and ingroup identification. The results demonstrated that framing Black history does not significantly influence Black Americans’ collective action intentions. Future directions and implications are discussed.
Keywords: collective action, social identity, historical frameworks, Black/African Americans
