BLST 215 Educating African America

This course critically examines the history of the education of Africans in the United States, beginning at the Middle Passage, through Reconstruction and the post-bellum South, to contemporary post-industrial urban contexts. Emphasizing the sociohistorical and political-economic dimensions of schooling African Americans, the course explores the role of key factors in shaping the academic "success" and "failure" of Black students historically and in current K-16 contexts. Analysis of case law policy and practice will inform our understanding of African American experiences in schools nationally and locally. Further, we consider the implications these experiences hold for democratic participation and the overall life chances of African American citizens.