Courses
Associate Professor of History at Riverside City College – Riverside, CA
Department of History, Humanities, Philosophy, and Ethnic Studies — Fall 2019 – Present
- Introduction to Ethnic Studies
- Women of Color in the U.S.
- African American History Before 1860
- African American History Since 1860
- World History since 1500
- Honors World History since 1500
- U.S. History before 1877
- U.S. History since 1865
- African History since 1500
- Women and Gender in U.S. History
- LGBTQ+ History in the U.S.
Lecturer at California State University, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
Department of Pan-African Studies, Fall 2022 — Spring 2025
- African American History
- Critical Race Theory
- Race, Class and Gender
- Rethinking the Welfare Queen: Race, Gender, and Poverty in the US
Professor Deborah Anna Brown teaches at Riverside City College. She’s previously taught at California State University, Los Angeles, National Louis University, Roosevelt University, San Francisco University, and University of California, Los Angeles.
I embrace an African-centered, transformative approach to teaching
I recognize community college students as knowledge-bearers shaped by rich life experiences, cultural histories, and responsibilities beyond the classroom. I view my role as a teacher-mediator who facilitates critical inquiry, collective learning, and self-determination. Grounded in African and African American traditions that value interconnectedness, community, and justice, my pedagogy affirms students’ lived realities—particularly in light of the historical denial of Black people’s right to read, learn, and fully participate in education. Learning in my classroom is collaborative, reflective, and rooted in respect, with students encouraged to draw from their personal, cultural, and community knowledge as essential sources of understanding.
In contrast to traditional models that emphasize memorization, my teaching centers critical questioning and consciousness-raising, helping students examine how knowledge is produced and how it connects to real-world conditions. I structure lessons around dialogue, self-reflection, and problem-solving that integrate thought, emotion, and action, creating a supportive learning community where students feel seen and empowered. Teaching, for me, is an ongoing process of reflection and revision informed by student feedback, Black educational scholarship, and community engagement. My goal is to cultivate learning that not only supports academic success but also equips students to use education as a tool for personal growth, social responsibility, and collective liberation.
Black-authored works that inform this philosophy
- The Mis-Education of the Negro — Carter G. Woodson
- Teaching to Transgress — bell hooks
- Afrocentricity — Molefi Kete Asante
Video Introduction
“Students can come and speak to me without fear or concern they’re going to be judged as less than or incapable of doing the work. I have an open door.”
— Professor Deborah Brown
Deborah Anna Brown 