Students hoping to gain an understanding of the African American experience can get started right here in Clarksville, thanks to the African American Studies program at Austin Peay State University.
The program can trace its roots back to 1968 when founder Betty Joe Wallace chaired a committee that examined adding classes in African American Studies (AAST). Today, 15 students are pursuing a minor through the program and dozens more are taking elective courses from among its offerings.
As an interdisciplinary program of study, AAST exposes students to the history and culture of African Americans in the United States and connects those experiences to the peoples of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, according to the University.
Two professors are working to help students explore coursework in the arts and culture.