Opinion by Karen Attiah: Naive hope is at the heart of Black History Month
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Sigh. This is what happens when people think they can remain quiet and above the fray when marginalized folks face an onslaught: Other people get to shape the narrative. But others in the audience saw it as ideological brainwashing and said they didn’t think it right for a “major network to contribute to white backlash and resentment.”This episode serves as the introduction to “We Are an African People: Independent Education, Black Power, and the Radical Imagination” by Russell Rickford, a Cornell University historian. I picked up his book because I wanted to learn more about the history of independent Black educational institutions.
“We Are an African People” is a useful reminder that there is a rich history of Black liberation pedagogy. There have long been deep debates within the Black community about how best to maintain cultural and psychological strength in White America. And maybe “community” is the key word here. I do believe there is much value in teaching how Black people have shaped this country. But I would never expect school systems to do all the work.
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