From the time I was introduced to the Social Studies curriculum, I’ve learned that African Americans were inferior to their white counterparts. Each of my history teachers made sure to spend extra time explaining the horrific beatings, lynchings, and the traumatic legacy that African Americans have endured without also celebrating the tremendous successes and accomplishments achieved by a plethora of people of color. Imagine being a young African American girl in a history class taught by an “empathetic” white teacher and surrounded by a class full of “inquiring” white peers. It is often that African American History is taught from a perspective of ignorance and without fairly representing all of the contributing facts. It is also common that African American History is cut out of the Social Studies curriculum, ultimately withholding the opportunity to learn African American history in its entirety from the next generation of leaders. For the brief moment in the Social Studies curriculum where African Americans are mentioned, the term ‘slave’ is often associated. My history teachers emphasize that black men and women were the legal property of white men and women. However, they forget to emphasize the hefty contributions made by African Americans. Their many contributions are overshadowed by the lynchings, beatings, and sexual abuse faced for such a prolonged period of America's history. Far too often, the first lesson taught about African Americans concerns the operation of the Triangular trade system through which Africans were regularly beaten and abused. Great system. This systematic cycle of discrimination in which opportunities or the lack of opportunities held the status quo has resulted in a school system in which “qualified” teachers are hired to teach a topic of which they have little knowledge. I like to call this the ‘Black Folk Censoring System’. While these teachers teach the false narratives of African American history, parents begin to complain about the curriculum, and then school boards host meetings to discuss the removal of Civil Rights history. Eventually, there is a vote and like magic, Civil Rights along with the overall African American studies is made optional in the Social Studies curriculum effectively eliminating a huge chunk of information necessary for students to develop well-rounded understanding. Educating current and future generations is my admiration. Students must know the importance of the contributions made by African Americans, as well as other minorities. Too often false or half-truth stories and narratives are promoted within the school system and media. Minority voices have been excluded from these teachings. As a future journalist, I seek to disseminate these untold and banished stories while also encouraging the youth to tell their stories with honor. My inspiration for attending an HBCU was Winifred “Freddie” Brooks, a free-spirited racial activist. The fictional character Freddie attended Hilman College majoring in Law. During the earlier season, Freddie was depicted as a naive girl who often rebelled against societal norms. I admired her ability to disregard the pessimistic judgment of her peers and not allow those judgmental views to alter or structure her character, personality, or perspective. Freddie's activism included combating sexual abuse and assault on campus. Growing up, watching an African American woman unapologetically sharing her political views while advocating for African American rights intrigued me and I wanted to share a similar experience. I am very passionate about the unethical bias and discrimination African Americans experience and the lack of African American history within the Social Studies curriculum. Just like Freddie in the upcoming school year, I will be able to protect and advocate for my peers as we share similar experiences and beliefs.