Traditional African Rites of Passage consists of the trials, accomplishments, unity, and fraternity that go along with process of socialization and coming of age. Programs focusing on Rites of Passage for Black children have existed throughout history and are seeing a current resurgence. In this course, students will observe the history and purpose of traditional African Rites of Passage. Modern implications of education and socialization in the Black community are also explored via Case Studies that students perform on existing programs. Concepts related to traditional African Rites of Passage such as African principles of socialization, Conflict Resolution, and Violence Prevention will be introduced to students as support mechanisms for Rites of Passage. Students who enroll in this course will be able to engage in Applied Black Studies as each student will work with a local grassroots organization to design a thorough Rites of Passage program. (Meets University Studies Requirement for Social Sciences)