When you chose your classes over the summer for this school year, you may have noticed a new elective: African American History. This elective is only two years old at CVHS and is also quite new to many schools in Virginia. As of the end of the 2022-2023 school year, African American History was an elective offered in 60 schools, including AP versions of the class in some high schools in Virginia. Many different teachers have started the training for and teaching of African American History as an elective, and Mrs. Johnson is the African American History teacher at CVHS.

Mrs. Johnson currently teaches African American History along with government and has taught government and other history classes in the past at CVHS.

Mrs. Johnson said that growing up “most of my race education was not as much in school, but most of it I got from my own family.” Her family frequently visited important museums, monuments and historical monuments to educate themselves about African American History. 

Mrs. Johnson attended George Mason University twice for her undergraduate in history and masters degree in education and started teaching six years ago, all six of these years at CVHS. Mrs. Johnson was inspired to be a teacher by seeing how her brother, who has learning disabilities, was treated unfairly in school growing up and wanted to make sure that no other kids ever had to feel that way in school. This, plus her love of history, led her to start teaching history at CVHS.

In 2019, the chance to have African American History as an elective was presented to CVHS teachers. Mrs. Johnson eagerly accepted and started the training. Although all teachers take many training courses throughout their careers, no matter the grade or subject, African American History has another level of training considering that this is often considered a controversial topic that shouldn’t be focused on in school. Despite differing opinions on this, teaching a taboo elective requires special training.

Mrs. Johnson chose to take this opportunity as she thinks that African American stories are too generalized in other history classes and that it is important to focus on such an important part of US history. She also wanted to destigmatize the conversations about race and African American history in school as it is currently an undeniably taboo and uncomfortable topic in many classrooms around the United States.

Currently, Mrs. Johnson has been teaching African American History for two years and has had an overall positive experience. As this is an elective on top of another history class for students, she believes that students who take this class have a “genuine interest and want to learn about African American History.” She has also received lots of support from other teachers and administrators around her class. She commented on the expansion of the program, saying that “last year we had about 12 students and now we have about 24, so it’s definitely growing and that’s a great thing!”

It is important to acknowledge that Mrs. Johnson is white. She acknowledged this at the beginning of the school year and is very open about how this might seem somewhat unusual to some. But she also “relies on black voices and primary sources to help her teach as she has never and will never experience most of what she is teaching about.” She works hard to ensure that what she is teaching is correct and appropriate and does a fantastic job. Mrs. Johnson also works with the Black Student Union at CVHS throughout the year to create projects like posters for Black History Month. 

I myself am a student of Mrs. Johnson’s sixth period African American History class. I really enjoy the class and think that it is very informative and well taught. In the class, we research influential African Americans, watch movies about African American History like “Remember the Titans,” study primary sources and more. It can be a difficult or uncomfortable class at points but that is a big point of the class- opening us up to these uncomfortable conversations. Overall it is a very interesting and informative class that I would recommend taking for anyone interested in broadening their knowledge of African American History.