San Diego State students assigned to create a ‘fake slave persona’ outraged
By Malik Earnest
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SAN DIEGO (KFMB) — San Diego State University students are outraged over a professor’s assignment that directed students of an Africana Studies course to create a ‘slave persona.’
A student enrolled in the course shared screenshots with CBS 8 News of the assignment, which directed students to read excerpts from slave narratives, then to create their own narrative detailing what kind of family or person the student would be owned by, according to assignment details.
“[I] Should never have to act like and “create a slave persona” for one of my Africana Studies classes,” said Amari Jackson, who was enrolled in the SDSU course at the time.
Africana Studies, or ‘AFRAS 101,’ is an interdisciplinary introduction course to African American thought and behavior. Subject areas include social systems, economic empowerment, self-development, family dynamics, use of power, cognitive styles, interethnic communication, and international relations, lectured by Professor LaShae Collins, M.A., according to San Diego State.
The assignment instructed students to also “address the event/circumstances surrounding [their] escape.”
“Are you kidding me?” said Catherine Hinson, a commentator on the assignment.
“Our history is not some comical play that we should pretend to be. These were years of people’s lives, years of misery and mistreatment, years of getting degraded and disrespected that some still go through to this day because modern-day slavery exists,” Hinson continued.
Amari Jackson said the in-class presentation of the assignment, where students were expected to arrive dressed in their slave persona, was canceled due to too many students and a lack of time.
San Diego State officials confirmed the course lecturer canceled the presentation portion of the assignment.
“We as students know that Professor Collins would never do anything to harm students and is committed to ensuring that every student is heard and respected inside and outside the classroom,” a press release posted to Instagram by the Afrikan Student Union detailed.
It’s unknown if students in the course were still required to complete the assignment or if students who chose not to complete it received a lesser score.
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Malik Earnestmearnest@cbs8.com
