Culture,IdentityandHeritage

HowcanprogramsthatfocusonafricanAmerican
culturehelpchildrentounderstandtheirculture,heritage
andidentitybetter.

AlexaAdams
Mrs.Lindinger
SeniorProject
April15,2015

AccordingtothefounderoftheAssociationfortheStudyofAfricanAmericanlifeand
HistoryCarterG.Woodson,Thosewhohavenorecordofwhattheirforebearshave
accomplishedlosetheinspirationforwhichcomesfromtheteachingofBiographyandHistory.
Thisisbasicallysayingthatpeoplewhodonotacknowledgewhatpastgenerationshave
accomplishedfortheworldnow,loseallinspirationfromtheinformationthatwillbeobtained
frombiographyandhistory.Cultureishighlyimportantandmanypeopletendtoneglecttheir
pastwhenbeingraised.Furthermore,almosteveryoneattendsschool,beingtaughtculturethere
wouldbeagoodwaytomakesureeveryone'sawareofitsimportance.Onewaybeingawareof
one'sculture,identityandheritagecanhelpiswithselfesteemandconfidence.Anotherwayisit
helpsstudentseducationallyanddecisionswise.Also,itcanteachesstudentsthebackgroundof
Africanhistory.Itcanalsointroducehowtheappreciationofculturecanhaveahugeinfluence
onidentity.Learningaboutthedifferentaspectsofculturescanbespreadbyjoiningdifferent
programs.Furthermore,differentprogramscanteachtheimportanceanddifferencebetween
culture,heritageandidentitybyshowinghowbyitbeenneglected,ithasnegativelyaffectedthe
AfricanAmericancommunity.Therefore,iftherearemoreculturallycenteredschoolsand
programsintheAfricanAmericancommunitytherewouldbeadramaticchangeinapositive
wayacrosstheworld.
Thefirstpartthatwillbeintroducedisidentity,therearedifferentwaystogettoknow
oneselforchangeasawholeoverall.Onewayofshowingidentitywhichisthequalities,beliefs
,etc.,thatmakesaparticularpersonorgroupdifferentfromothers(MerriamWebster,n.d).
Individualidentityishowapersondefineshim/herselfinternallywithoutreferringtoothers.
Whenwithotherpeopletheycouldfeelasthoughtheiridentityisbeingtakenawayfromthem

becausetheywanttofindcommongroundwiththepeoplethatarebeingsocializedwith(The
NeedForaSenseofIdentity,nd,pg1)Showingthatpeopleadjustthemselveswhenaround
otherswhichisotherwiseknownasGroupidentity.Whenaskedaboutoneselftobedescribe,
theywouldreplybysayingwhotheyareassociatedwithworkwiseorbyfamily/friend
relationships.Thepeopleassociatedwithendupbecomingattachedtoourrealidentity(The
NeedForaSenseofIdentity,nd,pg1),expressingthatourenvironmenthasahugeimpacton
howidentitiesareshaped.
Identityalsocanaffectone'sbehaviorincludingthewaywetreatothersbecauseit
determineshowsomeoneperceivesthemselves.Childrenandadolescentswithpoorselfesteem
aremorelikelythanotherchildrentohavebehaviorproblemsandhavetroublegettingalong
withauthorityfigures(MirrorMirror.org),explainingthatlowselfesteemcanbeahugereason
whysomechildrenhavesuchnegativebehavior.Wegetmessagesaboutourvaluefrom
teachersandotherschoolstaff,fromourpeers,fromotherrelativesandotherpeoplewemeetin
ourdaytodaylives(MirrorMirror.org),Givinginsightthataschildrenbegintodevelopfrom
birthonward,familyandschooloffersthempositiveandnegativeimpactsontheir
identity.AnotherarticlehadwroteTheresearchersalsofoundthatyoungpeoplewhohad
positivefeelingsabouttheirracialorethnicidentityhadbettersocialinteractionsand
selfesteem,didwellinschool,andhadfewerproblemswithdrugsoralcohol(Societyfor
ResearchinChildDevelopment),Suggestingthatthemorestabilityandconfidenceintactcould
causeabetteroutcomeinthefutureandmakeapersonlesslikelytofallintobadhabitssuchas
substanceandalcohol.Thisarticlealsostatedthatthisresearchalsorefutesthenotionthat
positiveracialorethnicidentityissomehowrelatedtohavingnotsopositiveattitudestoward

academicachievement"(SocietyforResearchinChildDevelopment),provingthatthemore
positiveempoweringfeelingstowardbetteringoneselfcanruboffonschoolwork.
Heritageisanotheraspectthatcanaffecthowachildunderstandshim/herself.Togetto
knowaperson'sheritagetheymustfirstknowwhatheritageis.HeritageisaPropertythatisor
maybeinheritedaninheritance.aperson'sheritageismadeupofthepracticesandtraditions
`thatarepassedonfromparentstochildren(SouthAfricanHistoryOnline),Provingthatfamily
playsabigpartinanindividual'sheritage.Heritageisalsowhatispassedfromfamily,
communitiesandplacewherepeoplehavebeenraised.everyonehasanationalheritagemeaning
wheretheyvebeenbornisapartoftheirheritage.culturalheritageisanotheraspectorheritage
(SouthAfricanHistoryOnline),Showingthatcultureisformedbyexpressionsofcreativitythat
comesoutofanindividual.
TherearealotofresourcesontheinternettoinformotherssuchasCulturalheritage
siteswhichshowamasterpieceofhumancreativityoranimportantexchangeofhumanvalues
overalongperiodoftime(SouthAfricanHistoryOnline),allowingworldwideaccessto
achievementsthatdifferentcultureshaveaccomplished.Also,thisarticlestatedthatIthasto
showevidenceofatraditionorcivilizationthathasdisappearedorisstillalive(SouthAfrican
HistoryOnline),expressingthatitcannotjustbeamadeuporrelativelynewfamilyevent.
Oneprogramthathelpswithconfidenceandchildrengettingthechancetobetter
themselvesislocatedattheAfricanHeritageCulturalArtsCenter(AHCAC).Theyoffera
programcalledPerformingandVisualArtswhichThroughthevariousinstructionalstylesand
forms,thestudentsaretaughtaboutothercultures,whichaidthestudentsinappreciatingall
aspectsofdiversity(MiamiDadeCountyDepartmentofCulturalAffairs),Providingstudents

withachancetolearnofnewculturesandexpandtheirviewsinapositivemanner.The
AHCAC,hasbeenopenforover39yearsandalsooffersanafterschoolprogrameveryday
whichincludesandstudyperiodthenanadditionaltwomultidisciplinaryclasses.
TheirwebsitestatesthatOurgoalsfortheAfterSchoolArtsProgramistosupport
parentswhodesiretohavetheirchildinasafecreativelearningenvironment[...]discoverand
developthestudentstalentsinthearts,enhancetheiracademicabilitiesandsocialskills,support
healthandfitness,anddeveloppositiveselfesteem(MiamiDadeCountyDepartmentof
CulturalAffairs),whichallowsstudentsachancetobemoresuccessfullynotonlyeducationally
wisebutsocially.Theyalsoofferansummer,springandwinterprogramwiththeiryearround
schoolingprogram.ThereareplentyoforganizationsthatalsoreachouttoeducatingtheAfrican
Americancommunity.OneofwhichbeingtheNationalEducationAssociation(NEA),The
articlestatedthattheNEAisthenation'slargestprofessionalemployeeorganizationwhoare
knownfortheircommitmenttoadvancingthecauseofpubliceducation(PhilNast,nd,pg1),
expressingthepositiveinfluencethisorganizationhasonthepublic.TheNationalEducation
Associationworksfromeverylevelofeducationfrompreschooltouniversitygraduate
programs.
DuringFebruaryotherwiseknownasBlackHistorymonththeyoffermanydifferent
lessonplanstoeducatestudentsonthehistorythatAfricanAmericanshavebeenthrought.This
articlealsostatedthattheNEAisaffiliatedwithorganizationsineverystateandinmorethan
14,000communitiesacrosstheUnitedStates(PhilNast,nd,pg1),whichshowsthiscanwidely
effectabletostudentsnotonlyinoneareabutacrosstheworld.TheNEAhasmanyhandson
approachessuchasencouragingyoungadolescentstogetinvolvedwiththecommunity.

SaveOurAfricanAmericanTreasuresisaprogramallowingAfricanAmericanstocome
outandshowtheappreciationthattheyhavefortheirCulturealongwithHeritage,whilealso
teachingpeoplehowtocometogethertopreservetheirvaluabletreasures.ThisArticledescribed
what'staughtatthiseventbyexplainingitasAteachevent,membersofthepubliclearnhow
topreservetheirfamilyphotographsandpapers,militaryuniforms,quiltsandtheotherephemera
thatdocumentAfricanAmericanlife(NationalMuseumOfAfricanAmericanHistoryand
Culture),inferringthatlearninghowtomanageoldartifactsthat'sbeenpastdownorfoundby
generationscanofferachancetostartanewpreciousfamilytraditionthatcouldbecherished.
Inthisarticleitalsolistedthat
SaveOurAfricanAmericanTreasures
isacollaboration
amongculturalinstitutions,communityleadersandthepublictopreserveandcollectAfrican
Americanmaterialculture.NMAAHClaunchedtheTreasuresprograminJanuary,2008
(NationalMuseumOfAfricanAmericanHistoryandCulture),expressingthateveryonehad
beencomingtogetherasacommunitytovalueandpreservetheseartifactsforoverfiveyears
now.Eventsfromthe
SaveOurAfricanAmericanTreasures
programhavebeenheldinabout15
areas,rangingfromNewYork,NYtoTopeka,KS.
Inthescholarlyarticle
TheImportanceandbenefitsofDiversity
theyoungauthorstated
thatDiverseorganizationsencourageandharnessthesedifferencestomaketheirservices
relevantandapproachable.Diverseorganizationsdrawuponthewidestpossiblerangeofviews
andexperiencessoitcanlistentoandmeetthechangingneedsofitsusers.Theencouragement
ofdiversitybenefitssociety(SarahT.nd,pg1),expressinghowthediversityofdifferent
religions,sexes,etccanallcometogethertoallgainknowledgefromeachother.

Thebook
AfricanAmericanCultureandHeritageinHigherEducationResearchand
Practice
byKassieFreemanexplainswhyAfricanAmericansdonotbelievetheyhaveequal
opportunitieswhenitcomestoschooling.ThebookstatedHistoricallyspeakingAfrican
Americanstudentshaveneverhadthesameeducationalopportunitiesaswhitestudentsandthe
thereforestartedoutadifferentplacealtogether[...]theycamefromasystemthatbanned
participationaltogetherthatlaterprovidedlimitedaccess(Freeman,nd,pg34),givingproof
thatthehistoryofhowAfricanamericanswerepreviouslytreatedaffecttheiractionstothisday.
AnotheraspectthatwasintroducedwashowsocialAfricanAmericanwerewhichhadstatedthat
AfricanAmericancultureisveryrichinsocaltradition[...]Familyrelationships,groupsocial
interactions,supportandachievementhavehistoricallyalwaysbeenapartofAfricanAmerican
culture(Freeman,nd,pg34),showingthatrelationswithotherpeoplehavealwaysbeen
accustomedintheirworld.
Thisbookalsoconfirmedthatthewayyoureidentifiedbysayingstudieson
selfconceptssuggestthatafricanAmericanssociallyorientedcultureinfluenceddevelopmentof
AfricanAmericanstudents(Freeman,nd,pg36),expressingthatidentityandthepeoplearound
onadailybasiscanaffectthewayyoupersonallyareclassified.WayneStateUniversityhaddid
acasestudycalled
AfricanAmericanIdentityinAdolescents
.Thiscasestudygaveinsightnot
onlythisselfconceptbutalsohowoncecontainstheirpersonalidentityandracialidentity.This
casestudystatedthatIntermsofschoolperformanceyouthwhoviewschoolperformanceas
partofbeingafricanamericanarelikelytoputmoresustainedeffortintoschoolandtherefore
attainbetterschooloutcomes(Harrison,Pg4,n.d),provingthatwhenanAfricanAmericanis
involvedinaprogramtheyaremorelikelytoimproveinschooloverall.

Althoughtherearepositiveeffectsthereisalsoanegativepointthatcomesalongwithit.
Theinterplaybetweennegativestereotypesaboutasocialgroup,socialidentityandbehavioral
andemotionalconsequencesofidentityhaspotentialinmakingsenseofthechoicesyouthmake
inthetransitiontoadulthood(Harrison,nd,pg6),showingthatthewayapersongrowsand
startstodevelopnowcanaffecttheirfuture.Therewasalsoamentalviewpointbroughtinto
perspective,Itseemsplausiblethatracialidentitywillbelinkedwithreducedriskofdepression
firstbecausefeelingconnectedtoone'scommunityprovidesapositivesenseofone'srootsanda
senseofbelonging,reducingsenseofisolationandaloneness(Harrison,ndpg8),showingthat
themoreyoufeelacceptedasoneselfandbyothersthebetteroutcomeapersoncanhave.This
studyalsostatedthatit'sclearthatethnicandracialidentityaretypicallymeasuredbysome
mixofitemsfocusedontheimportanceandcentralityofethnicalorracialgroupmembershipto
oneself,one'severydaylifeorbehaviors[...]inadditionsenseofcommonfateandpositive
connectiontothetraditionsandheritagearecommonlyassessed(Harrison,nd,pg8),
summarizingthecommonconceptsfoundamongstmakingapositiveinfluencetooneself.Henri
Tajfelstatedthatsocialcategorizationdefinesapersonsystematicallyincludingthemwithin
someandexcludingtheminothers(pg17,2010),explainingthatwhensomeonehasidentified
themselvesintoonegroupofpeopletheyopendoorstosomeopportunitiesbecauseofthe
friendstheyareassociatedwithandclosedoorstoothersforthesamereason.Anotherstatement
thatMr.TajfelsaidwasTherearetermsthataremorepersonalinnaturethatusuallydenotes
specificattributesofthatindividualsuchasfeelingsofcompetence,bodilyattributes,waysof
relatingtoothers[...]personaltasteandsoforth(2010,pg20),expressingthattofirstbeadded

tothegroupthereisastagewhereothersanalysethewayapersonactsandseeswhattheycan
bringtothegroupbasicallytoseeiftheyreliketheothers.
TheUniversityofSouthAfricaoffersaprogramspecializedforarts,cultureandheritage
studies.theydescribedtheprogramasanestablishpartnershipswithstrategicstakeholdersin
ordertoconserveandpromoteourcommonnationalheritage(UNISA),definingtheclubasa
communitytryingtoreachacommongoal.TheUniversityalsoexplainedthatthe

Entrance
levelsaimedataccommodatingstudentswhowishtodevelopcareeropportunitiesinarts,culture
andheritageInaddition,theyalsohadstatedthatthereareWorkshops,certificate,diploma
coursesthatwillprovideaccesstodegreeprogrammes.Coursesareconductedwithinthe
communitysettingandthroughUnisasdistanceeducationsystem(UNISA),provingthatthere
arecarreresoutintheworldthatcouldhelpmanyindividualshelpdefineandlearnabout
themselvesandwheretheycomefrom.
TheybroketheUniversitiesteachingsdownintofourmainpartsthatwillallcombineto
formACACHSwhichwaslaunchedduringjunein1999.ThefirstpartbeingResearch,
documentation,auditingandpreservationofpreviouslyneglectedarts,cultureandheritage
inventoriesalsoresultinginidentifyingsystemsofIK(IndigenousKnowledge)tothebenefitof
thedevelopmentofthepeopleofthecontinentandfurtheringtheidealsoftheAfrican
Renaissance(UNISA),showingthattherehastobefactsandevidenceprovidedtogobackto
findoutthehistoryofheritageandculture.TheSecondpartbeingEducating,trainingand
empoweringthesepreviouslydisadvantagedcommunitiestosalvage,document,audit,promote
andmakealivingfromtheirownheritageinventories(UNISA),expressingthatthisgives

peopleinvolvedinthisprogramexposuresociallyandallowsthemtogetinvolvedinthe
community.
NextisCapacitybuildingthroughemploymentopportunitiesandtraininginmarketing
andentrepreneurialskills(UNISA),showinghowthisallowspeopleinvolvedtohavehandson
workandallowsthemtoseewhatitwouldfeelliketoworkinthiscareerpath.Lastly,towrap
upthisprogramtheygiveAdviceandconsultationinallareasofCRM(CulturalResource
Management):collectionmanagement,themeparks(culturalvillages),etc(UNISA),proving
howtheprogramwillactuallyhelpdevelopindifferentculturalareasnotspecifyinginonething.
InConclusion,whenreferringtocultureitleadsintoheritageandidentitywhichwillall
combinetobenefitstudentsoverall.Bybeingindifferentprogramsthathelpsafricanamericans
knowthemselvesitcanbenefitpersonallyandacademically.Firstly,programscanhelpyou
sociallyandpersonallyselfesteemwise.Secondly,Itoffersstrongerdevelopmentinyouthby
givingoffknowledgeofyourtraditionsthat'sbeenpastdown,identifyingthewayoflifeyouve
chosenandbyshowinghowthechoicesmadeaffectsyouridentity.Lastly,itexplainsthe
positiveimpactsthatcanhelpdecreaseethicalissuesafricanamericansface.ThefamousGreek
philosopherAristotleoncesaidKnowingyourselfisthebeginningofallknowledge,
expressingthatallknowledgeandunderstandingbeginswithselfknowledgeandunderstanding
thatwhereyoucomefromdoeshaveahugeimpactonyourfuture.

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