Using African American Perspectives to Promote a More Inclusive Understanding of Human Communication Theory

This article addresses the use of African American perspectives as a means of promoting a more inclusive understanding of human communication theory. It describes contributions by African American scholars as they relate to providing a framework for inclusion of other under represented cultures in U.S. society (i.e. Asian American, Latino American, etc.). This objective is becoming more and more relevant because of the increased percentage of U.S. citizens who are of non-European origin. Common sense supports the position that an inclusive curriculum, representative of the many cultural groups that compose the U.S., will appeal to the diverse audience educated in the U.S. today and tomorrow.