For scholars to understand the American South, student Matthew Monroe believes they must examine the African American experience.
Monroe said his courses really began to resonate with "the story of humanity" when he learned about Civil Rights leaders who worked to change injustice. Through those studies, he began to understand key movements and current issues for African Americans.
"Theirs was a story of struggle to make life better for others without regard for their own safety," he said.
A senior history major from Starkville, Monroe will earn the distinction of being the first Mississippi State graduate with a minor in African American studies. His interest in history, particularly examining actions of past leaders, led him to pursue the academic minor through MSU's African American Studies Program. Rather than graduating at an earlier date, he opted to take extra courses to complete the minor in a program established on campus about two years ago.
Thinking philosophically about the study of African American history, he said examining past events has brought the "story of humanity" to life for him.