This course Introduces students to the academic discipline of African American Studies. President Richard Nixon initiated the "War on Drugs" by signing the Controlled Substances Act in 1971, labeling drug abuse as the country's "public enemy number one." Since then, the United States has annually allocated billions of dollars towards combating this issue, sparking widespread questions about its effectiveness. This course delves into the complexities of the "War on Drugs," examining its racial, legislative, and social ramifications. Additionally, it explores its intersection with the School-to-Prison Pipeline, also known as the School-Prison Nexus or the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track. Scholar Jawanzaa Kunjufu coined the term "4th Grade Failure Syndrome" to describe this trend, while author Michelle Alexander coined "The New Jim Crow," and Loic Wacquant termed mass incarceration a "peculiar institution." Ultimately, students will learn how factors such as race, class, and education disproportionately influence one's likelihood of incarceration. (Meets University Studies Requirement for Social Sciences)