Afro-American Association facts for kids

The Afro-American Association (AAA) was an important group that started in 1962. It began in Berkeley, California and Oakland, California. This group first met to study African and African American history. Later, they held talks, meetings, and other events. A historian named Donna Murch called it a "foundational institution" for the Black Power movement. This means it was a very important starting point for that movement.

How the Afro-American Association Started

In 1962, some students at the University of California, Berkeley formed a reading group. They were graduate and law students. Their goal was to learn about African and African American history. They also wanted to share this knowledge with their community. The main people who started the group were Donald Warden, Donald Hopkins, Otho Green, and Henry Ramsey.

Susan D. Anderson, who works at the California African American Museum, explained what they did. She said they read books by Black writers that the university often overlooked. They studied authors like Ralph Ellison and Carter G. Woodson. They also discussed the ideas of W.E.B. DuBois. The group talked about important global issues. These included apartheid in South Africa and the independence movements in Africa. They also discussed the history of racism in America.

The Afro-American Association also had groups in other cities and universities. For example, the Los Angeles group was led by Maulana Karenga. Donald Warden visited Portland, Oregon, in 1963 and 1964. He suggested starting an AAA group there. In the mid-1960s, students at Duke University in North Carolina also formed a chapter. At Northeastern University in Massachusetts in 1966, students started an AAA chapter. They wanted to support African American students and raise political awareness on campus. Students at the University of Alabama created an Afro-American Association in 1968. This group later became their Black Student Union.

What Impact Did the AAA Have?

The Afro-American Association had a big impact on future leaders. Donald Warden guided Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. They were members of the AAA. Later, in 1966, they started the Black Panther Party. Another AAA member, Kenny Freeman, helped create the party's Ten-Point Program. This program listed the goals and beliefs of the Black Panther Party.

The parents of Kamala Harris were also part of this study group. Her father, Donald J. Harris, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, were involved. Kamala Harris later became the Vice President of the United States.

Many members of the AAA became important leaders in culture and politics. These included Ron Dellums, who became a congressman and mayor of Oakland. Judge Thelton Henderson was also a member. Cedric Robinson became a well-known professor and scholar of Black Studies. Henry Ramsey became a judge in Alameda County Superior Court. He also served on the Berkeley City Council. Later, he became the dean of the Howard University School of Law.