Return to the Source: Education, Sankofa, and the Genealogy of the Black Diaspora

Journal: Social lens

Publication: 2026-07-23

DOI: 10.69971/sl.3.2.2026.69

Abstract

Numerous scholars have suggested that the high school history curriculum acts as a hindrance to Black students' achievement of their full potential. While historical knowledge is foundational to a people’s self-understanding and survival, most U.S. history curricula elide the history of Black Americans. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive-phenomenological paper was to explore perceptions of the history curriculum from the perspective of selected Black high school graduates in the Southeastern United States, using sankofa as a theoretical framework.  Findings revealed that Black voices were underrepresented in the curriculum, and a lack of discourse existed on their historical knowledge, leading to an inferiority complex among Black students. Furthermore, participants perceived most history textbooks as tedious and incomplete, lacking comprehensive coverage of the historical narratives of all ethnicities in the United States. Students who had a deeper understanding of their historical knowledge reported that it contributed to their academic success. The study’s implications highlight the need for educational decision-makers in the USA and beyond to review the representation of all students in history curricula critically and to incorporate counter-storytelling. Future research should include more stakeholder perspectives as data sources, and should also be replicated in other countries and courses.