Education's “Talented Tenth”

While the discourse on achievement among Black American students often includes the perspectives of researchers, teachers, and college/university faculty, retired educator views are often disregarded. Based on Du Bois's exertion about the Talented Tenth, who he recognized as “educational experts” and “seers” that serve as “leaders of thought and missionaries of culture among their people,” Black retired teachers and educational leaders are questioned about how to change Black student achievement trends, and included in this chapter are the recommendations offered by Black retired teachers and educational leaders—recommendations designed to bring about change in practice. Beyond adding to the discourse on Black student achievement, the chapter gives voice to retired Black educators whose years of professional experiences qualify them as “educational experts.”

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Since the conception of education in the United States, schools have been the battlegrounds for equal opportunities among African American students. In an effort to improve educational options and achievement for such students, charter schools have emerged as a popular solution for failing schools. The literature and case study in this chapter provides a sociohistorical look at the education of African Americans and African American parents' perceptions of charter schools and their expectations that they hold for educational institutions. The level of hope that was evident from the parent narratives centered on non-academic measures such as cultural pride and caring environments and mirrored that of pre-Brown schools that served African American students. The case study does not suggest that charters are the solution to educational inequity but may serve as one promising avenue for educational reform that should be informed by culturally responsive practices that encourage collaboration between schools and African American families.

We All Must Contribute to a More Comprehensive “Communiversity”

Communiversity is a term that has been used to define collaborations between communities and educational institutions. It has also been used in specialized capacities to refer to a collection of educational institutions in an area; the term has been further used to refer to university-specific programs. This chapter explores the 'communiversity' as a construct. It also underscores the need for the communiversity and identifies each stakeholder's role in contributing to a more fortified community-educational institution alliance.

A Multilayered Approach for Addressing Poverty and Education in African American Communities

For policymakers to address poverty and education outcomes for African American communities, a multilayered approach is needed at all levels of education, and this support should begin at birth and extend to the first four years of higher learning or two years of apprenticeship within a designated field. Many policymakers will argue regarding the cost; however, it should be noted that the benefits of a multilayered approach to support Black students could lead to various cost-saving measures, which could ultimately close the poverty gap and achievement gap between Blacks in the USA and other groups. This chapter will outline a pathway for addressing poverty and education outcomes for African American communities.

Anchoring Our Communities Through Service

Black communities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities are linked through shared history and purpose in the United States. Founded to provide Black citizens with a mechanism for education and social mobility, HBCUs continue to play a critical role in the shaping of Black communities throughout the country. At this critical juncture in the histories of Black Americans and Black institutions, it is critical to examine the role that HBCUs can continue to play in addressing the needs of Black people and Black communities. In this chapter, readers will engage in a dialogue with the author regarding the ways in which HBCUs can aid Black communities despite other phenomena occurring in society, such as gentrification, mass incarceration, and school systems that routinely disengage Black students.

Get Out

In this chapter, the authors propose that education, which historically has been mainly under the jurisdiction of religious institutions and has been administered by spiritual leaders and attendants, is a sacred and spiritual transaction. Thus, churches and schools are equivalent and have the same spiritual obligation, which is to create in an individual a new spirit. Given the spiritual nature of education, we see the colonial schooling system as a conduit for spirit infusion that provides the opportunity for not only “acting White” but also for the possibility of becoming White by spirit possession. This line of thought leads to the main objective, which is to dismantle current notions of African American student success that is often positioned as going to or graduating from college rather than getting out of the schooling process altogether.

Fostering Culturally Inclusive Family and School Collaboration Within the African American “Community”

Public schools are vested with the responsibility of meeting the needs of all students. However, the literature continues to evolve demonstrating patterns of disparities within predominately African American school communities and challenges with school and home partnerships. Students who have been identified with special education needs are at an even greater risk of failure because of ineffective services that are often the result of parents or caretakers who lack the capital, knowledge, and skills to advocate for them for many complex reasons. In order to meet the needs of this historically marginalized group within the field of special education, schools must adopt a posture of culturally responsive inclusivity and family collaboration within the African American school community. This collaboration entails (1) culturally responsive collaboration, (2) culturally responsive teaching, (3) strong family partnerships, (4) culturally responsive communication, and (5) family-centered school-based services for diverse families and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students.

Teacher Education Preparation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Teacher education preparation programs provide the nation with its teachers. Education major and teacher shortages have been recorded and demonstrate a potential deficit between the number of American students and certified teachers, particularly with regard to Black American students and teachers. A further deficiency is noted among Black American teacher candidates who attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Thus, this chapter (1) identifies the historical evolution of African American teachers, (2) examines the role of teacher education preparation programs at historically Black colleges and universities, and (3) highlights the significance of community-based strategies to improve student interest in HBCU teacher education preparation programs.

Education's “Talented Tenth”

Retired educators are a valuable resource, and their experiences contribute richly to the narrative of education. Retired educators whose own K-12 schooling experiences occurred during segregation offer a historic perspective of a time often viewed negatively. This chapter, however, diverges from traditional deficit narratives regarding the segregated South and amplifies positive lived experiences of retired Black American teachers who attended schools during segregation. Four themes and related concepts are identified, and narrative data extractions are included.

Religious Capital of the Oppressed

Black advancement in Antebellum Philadelphia was not solely a byproduct of White philanthropy, but Black residents advocated for a more inclusive form of education. Scholars have considered the influence of the Black church in educational progress, but not the influence of religion on the educational advocates. This chapter analyzes religion as a form of capital on the antebellum Philadelphian Black Christian community. This chapter achieved this by conducting a socio-historical content analysis of primary sources such as sermon manuscripts and books, as well as secondary sources such as history books and journal articles. Ultimately, the chapter findings suggest that religion was a motivator of the educational advancement for the Black educational advocates and churches, whereas for the White Christian community Black education was informed by deficit-based perspectives. The author of this chapter suggest that Black Christian Education can serve as a useful educational alternative especially if it embraces a social justice orientation to empower Black students.