More than 100 years ago, a son of formerly enslaved people, Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) to highlight the contributions of Black people that were "overlooked, ignored, and even suppressed by the writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them." La Salle's "Introduction to Black Studies" takes up that mantle to focus on the histories and experiences of people of African descent in the Americas (including the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.) Students will be introduced to the key debates, figures, contributions and concepts necessary to understand the historical, political, social, artistic, literary and cultural development of Black life in the Americas. The course will address topics like migration and urbanization, and significant moments and movements, ranging from uprisings by enslaved people across the black diaspora to 20th century Civil Rights Movements. The course will introduce students to the concepts of systemic racism and intersectional identities, especially as those concepts are reflected in contexts such as education, healthcare, and the criminal justice systems in the Americas. The ultimate goal is Lasallian: for students to apply anti-racist and social justice frameworks to current issues, so that they can "lead engaged and fulfilling lives marked by a commitment to the common good."