Reclaiming our Legacy in Literacy for Our Black Children
By Don Allen - Journal of A Black Teacher (2024) Random thoughts and reflections.
In the era of United States slavery, Black men and women ingeniously pursued the ability to read and write in defiance of prohibitive laws and life-threatening circumstances. More than the skill itself, literacy was an act of rebellion against the oppressive system that wished to maintain Black Americans in the United States in perpetual ignorance. Through ingenuity, bonds people used the most unlikely items for writing and reading classmates: sticks, rocks, string, flour-in particular, from kitchen workers' wood. In most instances, dirt was the "paper" on which to practice writing and spelling. These lowly resources became ways in which literacy would be interpreted as freedom, power, and a promise of a life worth living.
Over the generations, Black families nurtured this tradition of knowledge and education, teaching their children to read and write and instilling values of intellectual growth and social responsibility. Our ancestors, against incredible hardship, were able to cultivate a culture of literacy and resilience. But as time moved on and the dynamics of society started to change, it would appear that something went askew, leaving many to wonder what happened to those stately, socially engaged, sustainable communities that our parents and grandparents upheld.
Enslaved Black Americans in the United States faced incredible challenges on the road to literacy. Southern states passed statutes that absolutely prohibited teaching slaves to read and write; the teacher of a slave faced either fines or whippings. However, enslaved people did learn and made significant sharing of literacy, mostly in secret.
The environment was used by many enslaved people to continue writing. For instance, kitchen workers would outline letters on the kitchen tables using flour dust. The field workers might use sticks and rocks to scratch out words in the dirt. At times, wood chips or pieces of string were used to shape letters, while the ash in fireplaces served as ink. These humble yet powerful tools enabled numerous individuals to acquire some degree of literacy within the constant specter of punishment for doing so (Williams 2012, p. 43).
One of the most accessible means of teaching literacy among the enslaved was orally. Older and literate slaves communicated their knowledge to the younger ones through oral recitations, stories, and even through the memorization of Bible verses or other passages. The reading of the Bible was quite a common feature, most especially among Black men and women, and was considered a spiritual and social requisite. The case of Frederick Douglass, who was one of the most famous Black abolitionists and intellectuals, reveals that he had learned to read by "bribing white boys in his neighborhood to teach him letters for bread" (Douglass 1845, p. 53). His case symbolizes the ingenious ways and insistence with which Blacks found means of access to education.
The Family's Role in Education (key)
Long after the years of slavery were over and gone, Black families still passed on the tradition of teaching literacy. The parents and grandparents who had spent either their entire or last years in slavery felt so proud to see their descendants getting educated. Throughout the entire period of Reconstruction and well into the early 20th century, Black communities banded together to build schools and provide supplies for the education of their children. Many Black families were stately, social, and sustainable, having a strong sense of family structure, communal ties, and shared commitment to education.
As historian Heather Andrea Williams suggests, "The history of Black literacy is one that speaks to the endurance of the spirit of education and the drive for social uplift" (Williams, 2012, p. 87). It was this spirit that continued to manifest itself in Black parents and grandparents who struggled against the odds in the shadow of lingering discrimination and segregation to provide their children with the wherewithal to leave their mark on society. Education wasn't just an accomplishment; it was resistance. It was mobility. It was a declaration of one's humanity.
What Happened? The Disconnect
So, what did happen to our ancestors' stately, socially-engaged communities? Despite the host of credible reasons as to why some Black communities have experienced the erosion of educational values and community cohesion, it is beyond reasonable debate that structural inequality explains much. Systemic racism, economic disenfranchisement, and mass incarceration of Black men have all served to destabilize Black families and communities. ,These economic shifts that occurred in the latter half of the 20th century, such as deindustrialization, reached devastating levels among Black working-class families. As employment opportunities diminished, unemployment mounted, and Black men found themselves being repeatedly drawn into poverty and incarceration, neither of which supported their playing an active role in their families or communities (Alexander, 2010, p. 121). The result was the undermining of traditional family structures, long the bulwark for Black education.
Besides, public schools—especially in inner cities—have never provided decent educational services to Black students due to constant under financing, class overcrowding, and biased curricula. As a result, dropout rates among Black youth have increased, while low literacy levels have set in. Research shows that Black students, indeed, "are more likely than White students to be subjected to discipline that removes them from their classrooms and puts them onto the pipeline leading to prison" (Losen & Skiba, 2010, p. 12).
Despite these challenges, a good number of Black families and communities stress education. Across America, Black parents still turn to charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling as ways to ensure that their children have an opportunity to get an education. That same spirit of literacy and learning that helped Black people survive the brutalities of slavery and segregation survives today, but it does so in a very challenging manner.
Moving Forward: Reclaiming Our Legacy
This goes to show that, as we retrospectively analyze the innovations and perseverance of our ancestors, revitalizing the legacy of literacy and education within the Black community is crystal clear. Black educators, activists, and community leaders are indeed doing work to reclaim this legacy. After-school tutoring, mentorship development programs, literacy development, and Black teachers teaching Black teachers form the fundamental core through which children can be provided with the supplies needed for success. Black families and communities should remind our children that education offers a portal to economic advancement but, more crucially, is part of the legacy of resistance and self-determination that has always defined Black history in the United States. We remember our parents and all those stately, sustainable communities-while at the same time building a world where Black children flourish academically and socially.
Alexander, M. (2010). The new jim crow: Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness. The New Press.
Douglass, F. (1845). Narrative of the life of frederick douglass, an american slave. Anti-Slavery Office.
Losen, D. J., & Skiba, R. J. (2010). Suspended education: Urban middle schools in crisis. Southern Poverty Law Center, 12.
Williams, H. A. (2012). Self-taught: African american education in slavery and freedom. University of North Carolina Press.
Over the generations, Black families nurtured this tradition of knowledge and education, teaching their children to read and write and instilling values of intellectual growth and social responsibility. Our ancestors, against incredible hardship, were able to cultivate a culture of literacy and resilience. But as time moved on and the dynamics of society started to change, it would appear that something went askew, leaving many to wonder what happened to those stately, socially engaged, sustainable communities that our parents and grandparents upheld.
Enslaved Black Americans in the United States faced incredible challenges on the road to literacy. Southern states passed statutes that absolutely prohibited teaching slaves to read and write; the teacher of a slave faced either fines or whippings. However, enslaved people did learn and made significant sharing of literacy, mostly in secret.
The environment was used by many enslaved people to continue writing. For instance, kitchen workers would outline letters on the kitchen tables using flour dust. The field workers might use sticks and rocks to scratch out words in the dirt. At times, wood chips or pieces of string were used to shape letters, while the ash in fireplaces served as ink. These humble yet powerful tools enabled numerous individuals to acquire some degree of literacy within the constant specter of punishment for doing so (Williams 2012, p. 43).
One of the most accessible means of teaching literacy among the enslaved was orally. Older and literate slaves communicated their knowledge to the younger ones through oral recitations, stories, and even through the memorization of Bible verses or other passages. The reading of the Bible was quite a common feature, most especially among Black men and women, and was considered a spiritual and social requisite. The case of Frederick Douglass, who was one of the most famous Black abolitionists and intellectuals, reveals that he had learned to read by "bribing white boys in his neighborhood to teach him letters for bread" (Douglass 1845, p. 53). His case symbolizes the ingenious ways and insistence with which Blacks found means of access to education.
The Family's Role in Education (key)
Long after the years of slavery were over and gone, Black families still passed on the tradition of teaching literacy. The parents and grandparents who had spent either their entire or last years in slavery felt so proud to see their descendants getting educated. Throughout the entire period of Reconstruction and well into the early 20th century, Black communities banded together to build schools and provide supplies for the education of their children. Many Black families were stately, social, and sustainable, having a strong sense of family structure, communal ties, and shared commitment to education.
As historian Heather Andrea Williams suggests, "The history of Black literacy is one that speaks to the endurance of the spirit of education and the drive for social uplift" (Williams, 2012, p. 87). It was this spirit that continued to manifest itself in Black parents and grandparents who struggled against the odds in the shadow of lingering discrimination and segregation to provide their children with the wherewithal to leave their mark on society. Education wasn't just an accomplishment; it was resistance. It was mobility. It was a declaration of one's humanity.
What Happened? The Disconnect
So, what did happen to our ancestors' stately, socially-engaged communities? Despite the host of credible reasons as to why some Black communities have experienced the erosion of educational values and community cohesion, it is beyond reasonable debate that structural inequality explains much. Systemic racism, economic disenfranchisement, and mass incarceration of Black men have all served to destabilize Black families and communities. ,These economic shifts that occurred in the latter half of the 20th century, such as deindustrialization, reached devastating levels among Black working-class families. As employment opportunities diminished, unemployment mounted, and Black men found themselves being repeatedly drawn into poverty and incarceration, neither of which supported their playing an active role in their families or communities (Alexander, 2010, p. 121). The result was the undermining of traditional family structures, long the bulwark for Black education.
Besides, public schools—especially in inner cities—have never provided decent educational services to Black students due to constant under financing, class overcrowding, and biased curricula. As a result, dropout rates among Black youth have increased, while low literacy levels have set in. Research shows that Black students, indeed, "are more likely than White students to be subjected to discipline that removes them from their classrooms and puts them onto the pipeline leading to prison" (Losen & Skiba, 2010, p. 12).
Despite these challenges, a good number of Black families and communities stress education. Across America, Black parents still turn to charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling as ways to ensure that their children have an opportunity to get an education. That same spirit of literacy and learning that helped Black people survive the brutalities of slavery and segregation survives today, but it does so in a very challenging manner.
Moving Forward: Reclaiming Our Legacy
This goes to show that, as we retrospectively analyze the innovations and perseverance of our ancestors, revitalizing the legacy of literacy and education within the Black community is crystal clear. Black educators, activists, and community leaders are indeed doing work to reclaim this legacy. After-school tutoring, mentorship development programs, literacy development, and Black teachers teaching Black teachers form the fundamental core through which children can be provided with the supplies needed for success. Black families and communities should remind our children that education offers a portal to economic advancement but, more crucially, is part of the legacy of resistance and self-determination that has always defined Black history in the United States. We remember our parents and all those stately, sustainable communities-while at the same time building a world where Black children flourish academically and socially.
References
Douglass, F. (1845). Narrative of the life of frederick douglass, an american slave. Anti-Slavery Office.
Losen, D. J., & Skiba, R. J. (2010). Suspended education: Urban middle schools in crisis. Southern Poverty Law Center, 12.
Williams, H. A. (2012). Self-taught: African american education in slavery and freedom. University of North Carolina Press.
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