Event examines hip-hop's influence in teaching Black history

Like Black history education, hip-hop education is about consciousness-raising of society that is often left to the margins

By the University at Buffalo

Celebrating 50 years of hip-hop and exploring its connections to culture and pedagogy is the focus of this year’s Teaching Black History Conference at UB.

From July 21-23, hundreds of educators from all over the world will convene in Hayes Hall (in-person, virtually, or both) for the sixth annual conference.

“We host expert speakers and entertainment, but the stars of the conference are our teachers,” said LaGarrett King, director of the UB Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education, and associate professor of social studies education.

“Each conference session is led by a classroom teacher who shares their Black history strategies. The sessions are interactive, so participants will have hands-on experiences to bring to their classrooms,” King said. “Conference attendees love Black history, and we welcome community educators, parents, school-aged students and anyone who loves to learn about Black history.”

The conference theme this year is “The Sounds of Blackness, Hip Hop Turns 50.”

“The connection of hip-hop, its culture, and its relation to pedagogy, are useful in Black history education,” King said.

Founded by King, a renowned scholar of Black history education, the UB Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education seeks to investigate and provide solutions for more effective education around Black history and race. According to King, Black history is not simply teaching about skin color; it’s more complex than that. It explores Black people’s humanity, including their history of oppression, agency, emotions, inter and intra contentions, diasporic similarities and differences, social histories and futures.

“Like Black history education, hip-hop education is about the consciousness-raising of society that is often left to the margins,” he said. “Hip-hop is Black history, and we look forward to bringing together hundreds of educators worldwide to learn about Black history and hip-hop intersects.”

This year's conference will include the opportunity to participate in a social studies or writing retreat before the start of the conference. These two‐day sessions will be held July 19‐20 in Hayes Hall.

For more information, contact King at [email protected] or 716-645-2455.