Conference examines hip hop’s influence in teaching Black history

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.

Being held July 21-23 in Hayes Hall, South Campus, educators, parents, librarians and museum curators are invited to attend the sixth annual conference, in either in-person, virtual or hybrid format. Attendees are eligible for 24 professional development credits. Guests may register through the conference website.

Organized by the UB Center for K–12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education in the Graduate School of Education, the conference will bring together hundreds of people from around the world to learn curricular and instructional practices surrounding Black history education. The center’s signature annual event convenes hundreds of teachers and others for three days over the summer to learn from expert speakers and one another.

“We host expert speakers and entertainment, but the stars of the conference are our teachers,” says 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 says. “Conference attendees love Black history. 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 says.

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. 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,” he says.

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. Snacks and drinks are provided. For more information, contact LaGarrett King by email or by phone at 716-645-2455.