Expanding the Study of Multiculturalism in Europe: The European Experience and the African Presence in Europe within the African Diaspora

There is a common and erroneous perception of Europe as a “white” continent populated exclusively by white people. However, that perception can change with the rise of our understanding of the African Diaspora as a transnational approach to studying and teaching European History. Since the history of black people in Europe has not covered in standard textbooks, and many Europeanists are often not trained to teach these topics, introducing them in secondary and undergraduate classrooms can be difficult. This paper sets out to offer a pedagogical theory, instructional strategies, and a constructive narrative for designing a course in African European history. We are offering, a critical pedagogical strategy to facilitate a dialogue toward course development in African European history. The objective of this paper is fourfold: (1) To provide some suggestions on conceptualizing a course on African European History. (2) To place the course within the African Diaspora paradigm. (3) To offer suggestions for developing an outline for a course in the African presence in Europe within the African Diaspora while posing alternative ways of looking at the past, the present and the future in respect of the contributions of Africans to Europe’s Development. And, (4) to reinforce the benefits that may be accrued from students taking a course in the African presence in Europe.