RBG Reference Resource Center and Review of the Literature (Books):

Intro. Lessons From Marcus Garvey :

These lessons and guideposts in learning can be found in Marcus Garvey, Message to the People, The Course of African Philosophy, edited by Dr. Tony Martin.

The literature below will make it quite clear that Afrikan people in America continue to be miseducated. This problem is discussed from a wide variety of vantage points and perspectives in the various resources reviewed. Afrikan centered education calls upon us to consult and draw lessons from the deep well of wisdom of those who have addressed this problem whom we too often forget. One such person who addressed this problem is the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, when he presented his formula for learning in his courses on African Philosophy in the 1930s. I think it is only appropriate to review Garvey’s formula for learning as a preface to our book reviews ,with a view towards seeking specific guideposts to our development as a New Afrikan people.

Lesson 1: One must never stop reading. Read everything that you can read, that is of standard knowledge. Don’t waste time reading trashy literature. The idea is that personal experience is not enough for a human to get all the useful knowledge of life, because the individual life it too short, so we must feed on the experience of others.

Lesson 2: Read history incessantly until you master it. This means your own national history, the history of the world, social history, industrial history, and the history of the different sciences; but primarily, the history of man. If you do not know what went on before you came here and what is happening at the time you live, but away from you, you will not know the world and will be ignorant of the world and mankind.

Lesson 3: To be able to read intelligently, you must first be able to master the language of your country. To do this, you must be well acquainted with its grammar and the science of it. People judge you by your writing and your speech. If you write badly and incorrectly they become prejudiced towards your intelligence, and if you speak badly and incorrectly, those who hear you become disgusted and will not pay much attention to you, but in their hearts laugh after you.

Lesson 4: A leader who is to teach men and present any fact of truth to man must first be taught in his subject.

Lesson 5: Never write or speak on a subject you know nothing about, for there is always somebody who knows that particular subject to laugh at you or to ask you embarrassing questions that may make others laugh at you.

Lesson 6: You should read four hours a day. The best time to read is in the evening after you have retired from your work and after you have rested and before sleeping hours, but do so before morning, so that during your sleeping hours what you read may become subconscious, that is to say, planted in your memory.

Lesson 7: Never keep the constant company of anybody who doesn’t know as much as you or (is) as educated as you, and from whom you cannot learn something from or reciprocate your learning.

Lesson 8: Continue always in the application of the things you desire educationally, culturally, or otherwise, and never give up until you reach your objective.

Lesson 9: Try never to repeat yourself in any one discourse in saying the same thing over and over again except when you are making new points, because repetition is tiresome and it annoys those who hear the repetition.

Lesson 10: Knowledge is power. When you know a thing and can hold your ground on that thing and win over your opponents on that thing, those who hear you learn to have confidence in you and will trust your ability.

Lesson 11: In reading books written by white authors, of whatever kind, be aware of the fact that they are not written for your particular benefit of your race. They always write from their own point of view and only in the interest of their own race.

Reference Resource Center and Review of the Literature (Books):

What follows are my synoptic reviews of the main resources / book concepts that I have called upon to build "The RBG Street Scholars Think Tank's Educational Foundation" from a scholarly / academic perspective. The reviews are very important reading for learners as well as teachers, as they are rich with knowledge of the issues and solutions. I have also embedded video education assets throughout to enhance the reading.

1. African Centered Education: Its Value, Importance, and Necessity in the Development of Black Children Haki R. Madhubuti

This book legitimizes the need for African-centered education at an early age in child development.


2. Afrocentric Idea by Molefi Kete Asante

This new edition of THE Afrocentric IDEA boldly confronts the contemporary challenges that have been launched against Molefi Kete Asante’s philosophical, social, and cultural theory. Expanding on his core ideas, Asante recasts his original ideas in the tradition of provocative critiques of the established social order. This is a fresh and dynamic location of culture within the context of social change. 256 p.

3. Nationbuilding: Theory and practice in Afrikan-centered education
Kwame Agyei Akoto

Improving Schools for African American Students: A Reader for Educational Leaders provides education leaders with access to critical ideas, research, and knowledge across a broad range of educational issues that affect the successful schooling of African American children and youth. The articles that make up this book discuss generic education issues such as policy reform, the importance of high-quality teaching, and the improvement of schools from the perspective of the academic achievement of African American students. They explore the need to identify and redress policies and practices that hinder African American student achievement. They discuss effective teacher training programs, both pre-service and in-service, that focus on the academic and the ethical, social, political, and cultural dimensions of teaching African American students. These articles explore educational programs that build on the strengths that African American students bring to school, as well as how to create these programs in a wide variety of school settings, ranging from schools that serve predominantly African American students to schools in which African American students are a small percentage of the total school population.

Professor Jacob H. Carruthers /Jedi Shemsu Jehewty

"The African centered education campaign is related to the chronic failure of the education system to provide equal educational results and opportunities for African Americans."

(February 15, 1930 - January 4, 2004)

(Click this photo for Dr.Carruthers on Africentric Education)

As mentioned above the recent Africana Studies Movement grew out of the 1960s/70s Black Power Movement

For those who would like to get deeper into RBG Street Scholars Think Tank Dr. Carruthers' essay on Africentric Education is highly recommended as it puts you smack dab into the middle of our scholarly education cipher and discourse. Professor Jacob H. Carruthers (RIU) was a founding director of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC) and a member of its national board of directors. He is a founding member of both the Kemetic Institute of Chicago and the Temple of the African Community of Chicago. He was also the acting director of the Center for Inner City Studies, Northeastern Illinois University, where he also served as a professor. He is the author of Science and Oppression, The Irritated Genie, and Mdw Ntr Divine Speech.

The Connection: The current day Africentric-education movement, where Dr. Carruthers is one of our foremost authorities, is an outgrowth of the 1960s Black Studies Movement that we will be studying in the body of this curriculum.

4. The Failure of Public Education in the Black Community
Anyim Palmer;

I sincerely trust that the message this book conveys will somehow be heard. The message of course, is that it can be conclusively demonstrated, as well as documented, that the American public school is and has been for generations wreaking havoc upon the Black/African race. Tragically, little is being done to counter this documented destruction. In this regard, it can in truth be said that the Black/African race in a sense, is a party in a second negative history.

The first negative history of course, was the slave trade. The second negative history is the manner in which the Black/African race so blandly tolerated the wicked, brutal and satanic trade in the flesh of our beloved ancestors. Should there be a “doubting Thomas” among you, simply consult the test scores of our young people that appear each year in various media. They are appalling and criminal, and demonstrate beyond contention that the American public school is the primary destructor of our once great race. Should this publication fail to bring light to our people, we are indeed doomed. In summary, we must build our own schools and educate our own.

5. The Crisis and Challenge of Black Mis-Education in America
Gyasi A. Foluke;

After a brief historical overview of “education,” beginning with chattel slavery, the author examines the desegregation-“re-segregation” record since the Brown decision of 1954. Accordingly, he reviews many educational factors—test scores, the Euro-centric curriculum, student “tracking,” behavior violations, the predominance of White teachers and related system features—in the context of alleged Black student under-achievement under two ideological mindsets, the “system deficit” and the “victim deficit” models. Subsequently, he analyzes multiple underlying causes of alleged Black under-achievement—the critically important “Polyglot Factor” or the failure to recognize the uniqueness of “the Black experience” in developing educational strategies, Black socioeconomic conditions, a racist political hierarchy at all levels of government, unequal school funding, mis-educated Black or “negro” professionals who become “paycheck slaves” (Porter, 1997), inadequate professional development-training for teachers, especially in relation to Black heritage-culture, low teacher-administrator expectations, the misuse of drugs on students (including Ritalin) and multiple other factors.

6. African-Centered Schooling in Theory and Practice:
Diane S. Pollard;

Given the increasing interest in African-centered education as a viable alternative educational strategy, the present study, growing out of the African American Immersion Schools Evaluation Project, provides an important demonstration of the movement from theoretical discussions of the potential benefits of African-centered education to its practice and measurable outcomes in urban public schools. The similarities between Milwaukee and other urban schools districts indicate that the findings from this study should have wide applicability.

7. African Centered Interdisciplinary Multi Level Hands-On Science:
Preprimary-8Th Grade Bernida Thompson;


Adults will find reading this guide extremely interesting with GREAT discussion topics for any group! Finally – an innovative guide to teachers and students that fulfills all requirements for the nucleus of a science program. The purpose of this book is to provide a successfully proven hands—on science program for schools, homes, and youth organizations. The focus on this science program places the foundation of science in its rightful place, Africa, as documented by the study of history, paleontology, archaeology, and anthropology. Relevant hands-on experiences are given through twelve complete modules of easy to set up activities and student worksheets.

8. Elijah Muhammad on African American Education: A Guide for African and Black Studies Programs (African American Educator Series, V. 1) Mwalimu I. Mwadilifu;

This book gives a good comprehensive understanding on the farsighted educational thought of Elijah Muhammad...a must reading for all who are interested in African American Child development.

9. Keeping Black Boys Out Of Special Education
Jawanza Kunjufu;

This critical analysis looks at the disproportionate number of African American males in special education. Arguing that the problem is race and gender driven, questions covered include Why does Europe send more females to special education? Why does America lead the world in giving children Ritalin? Is there a relationship between sugar, Ritalin, and cocaine? and Is there a relationship between special education and prison? More than 100 strategies to help teachers and parents keep black boys in the regular classroom, such as revising teacher expectations, increasing parental involvement, changing teaching styles from a left-brain abstract approach to a right-brain hands-on approach, redoing the curriculum, understanding the impact of mass media, and fostering healthy eating habits.

Countering the conspiracy to destroy black boys

10. The Education of Black People
By W. E. B. Du Bois, Herbert Aptheker



Undoubtedly the most influential black intellectual of the twentieth century and one of America’s finest historians, W.E.B. DuBois knew that the liberation of the African American people required liberal education and not vocational training. He saw education as a process of teaching certain timeless values: moderation, an avoidance of luxury, a concern for courtesy, a capacity to endure, a nurturing love for beauty. At the same time, DuBois saw education as fundamentally subversive. This was as much a function of the well-established role of education-from Plato forward-as the realities of the social order under which he lived. He insistently calls for great energy and initiative; for African Americans controlling their own lives and for continued experimentation and innovation, while keeping education’s fundamentally radical nature in view.
Though containing speeches written nearly one-hundred years ago, and on a subject that has seen more stormy debate and demagoguery than almost any other in recent history, The Education of Black People approaches education with a timelessness and timeliness, at once rooted in classical thought that reflects a remarkably fresh and contemporary relevance.

11. Developmental Psychology of the Black Child
By Dr. Amos N. Wilson

Are Black and White Children the same? Is the Black Child merely a White Child who ‘happens’ to be ‘painted’ Black? Are there any significant differences in the mental and physical growth and development of Black and White Children? What effects does race awareness have on the mental and personality development of Black Children? Are such leisure time activities as the playing of certain games, watching T.V., going to the movies, listening to the radio, hazardous to the mental health of Black Children? Is the use of Black English a sign of mental inferiority? Why do Black Children generally score lower than White Children on I.Q. tests? Do Black parents socialize their children to be inferior to White Children? Why have integrated schools and busing failed so many Black Children? If you have been looking for a single source which deals with these and related controversial questions from a black perspective, then this book may be the book for you. For between its covers, The Developmental Psychology of the Black Child, the first of a UBCS series of books dealing with the growth, development, and education of the black child, in a scholarly but readily understandable way, forthrightly confronts these and other issues.

12. Awakening the Natural Genius of Black Children
By Dr. Amos N. Wilson

Afrikan children are naturally precocious and gifted. They begin life with a ‘natural head start.’ However, their natural genius it too frequently underdeveloped and misdirected by:

(1) the fact that the racist and imperialist status quo politically mandates their intellectual under-achievement and social mal-adaptiveness;

(2) belief in the myth that intelligence is fixed at birth and that Afrikans are innately less intelligent than Europeans;

(3) a lack of knowledge of their positively unique developmental psychology;

(4) a lack of confidence in their ability to equal or surpass the intellectual performance of any other ethnic group; and

(5) the general lack of infant and early childhood educational experiences which stimulate, sustain and actualize their abundant human potential.

Awakening the Natural Genius of Black Children provides effective means by which these political and social maladies may be fully remedies. Intelligence is not fixed at birth. The quality of children’s educational experiences during infancy and early childhood are substantially related to their measured intelligence, academic achievement and prosocial behavior. In this volume, Amos N. Wilson, author of the bestseller, The Developmental Psychology of the Black Child, surveys the daily routines, child-rearing practices, parent-child interactions, games and play materials, parent-training and pre-school programs which have made demonstrably outstanding and lasting differences in the intellectual, academic and social performance of Black children.

13. Positive Afrikan Images for Children: Social Studies Curriculum

Social studies, more than any other area of study, shapes the cultural and ideological perspectives of the developing child. Social studies is a comprehensive area of study which includes subject content from history, geography, civics, political science, economics, government, and anthropology. Given the breadth of the social studies curriculum and dynamic nature of human societies, much of the content will change as society changes. This curriculum guide has been designed to facilitate the cultural development of the Afrikan American child. It has been designed to foster the firm self concept and clear sense of direction and purpose that attends a culturally appropriate curriculum design and a self reflective learning environment. The social studies curriculum guide presented here consists of three components. The first component consists of working definitions and important concepts concerning the curriculum. The second component consists of the year-end behavioral objectives for each academic level.

14. Going to School: The African-American Experience (Suny Series Frontiers in Education) Kofi Lomotey, Editor

In this ground-breaking book, noted scholars/educators respond to the persistent, pervasive and disproportionate underachievement of African-American students in public schools. In the process, they illustrate various aspects of the dilemma with a wide range of views and address the complexity of the topic by including a consideration of the factors that impact upon the academic achievement of African-American students. Lomotey considers the implications for research, policy and practice related to African-American academic achievement.

15. Too Much Schooling, Too Little Education: A Paradox of Black Life in White Societies Mwalimu J. Shujaa;

Too Much Schooling, Too Little Education: A Paradox of Black Life in White Societies, with its educational focus, fit into the Afrikan-centered school of thought with its aim to develop subject-centered analysis and solutions for African children. This book is an attempt to illustrate and demonstrate some of the ways we can use our cultural base to educate children. There is nothing unfamiliar to the reader about this process; it has been the fundamental process of education in all societies. You cannot leave the education of your children simply to those whose purposes are different from your own and expect the children to grow up and follow the path of your ancestors.

16. The Storytellers Karume Jumal;

The genesis of The Storytellers, written by Karume Jumal, was a small seed planted twenty-six years ago by a teacher who was a storyteller herself. Mwalimu (Mama) Nachisali was a beautiful, animated lady who thrilled her students with stories that usually included the students, and always included secret passages, strange creatures, and terrible monsters. Somehow, the stories always ended with the students triumphing over the monsters, and invariably, they would save their teachers, families, or their school, Omowale Ujamaa. That was the early seventies. In the mid-eighties, Karume stood in front of a class as a Mwalimu and wanted to excite his students about education as he had been. Mwalimu Karume’s students were his inspiration to tell and write the stories that Mama Nachisali and other Omowale teachers had inspired in him.

17. Sailing Against the Wind: African Americans and Women in U.S. Education,
Kofi Lomotey, editor

Experienced American educators discuss the impact of social inequalities created by racism and sexism on the U.S. educational system. Sailing Against the Wind addresses the issue of inequality in U.S. education. The book includes exemplary programs to show where educators are addressing problems of racial and gender inequity. The authors are experienced practitioners who work in the educational institutions that they describe and analyze. The consistent theme is that only through political opposition to the status quo and through a demand for social justice will the system change, will inequities be eliminated, and will existing power relationships in society be altered.

18. A is for Afrikans

These materials were developed out of the need to incorporate visual and tactile reading activities with culturally relevant images. These phonic and handwriting activities are designed for 4 to 6 year-old pre-readers. Parents can use these activities in conjunction with other pre-reading activities such as alphabet flash cards, alphabet blocks magnetic letters, children’s books, and/or alphabet puzzles. The A is for Afrikans four workbook set will help your child develop the basic phonic skills necessary for success in learning to read. In the classroom, teachers can use A is for Afrikans to reinforce visual and auditory discrimination, consonant recognition, color words, and handwriting. These materials can also serve as the core of a phonic learning center. Teachers may reproduce worksheets from this book for classroom use only.

19. African American Males in School and Society:
Practices and Policies for Effective Education
Vernon C. Polite;

At last, a comprehensive look at the most salient issues that affect the future of African American men. This book provides much more than a ray of hope, it is replete with recommendations and practices that, if implemented, will positively impact educational and social outcomes. Every educator and parent who grapples with the dilemma of educating Black boys and young men should read this book. School administrations serious about addressing the underachievement and underdevelopment of African American boys and youths will find in this book theoretical and methodological approaches (e.g., practical, just-in-time strategies for implementation). This book will empower readers who are committed to equity and excellence for African American male students in elementary and secondary schools.

20. Black Children:
Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles
Janice E. Hale-Benson;

American educators have largely failed to recognize the crucial significance of culture in the education of African-American children, contends Janice E. Hale in the revised edition of her groundbreaking work, Black Children. As African-American children are acculturated at home and in the African-American community, they develop cognitive patterns and behaviors that may prove incompatible with the school environment. Cultural factors produce group differences that must be addressed in the educational process. Drawing on the fields of anthropology, sociology, history, and psychology, Hale explores the effects of African-American culture on a child’s intellectual development and suggests curricular reforms that would allow African-American children to develop their intelligence, pursue their strengths, and succeed in school and at work.

21. Educating our Black Children:
New Directions and Radical Approaches (Studies in Inclusive Education)
Richard Majors;

“It is well established that many young black pupils are being excluded from mainstream education. Although social exclusion is a major issue in the government’s education policy, recent initiatives and programs have been criticized for being color-blind and failing to place targets on areas such as black exclusions. This book goes beyond traditional research and policy analysis by providing actual approaches and programs. This collection of essays from distinguished UK and US contributors focuses on positive social inclusion policy and practice. Themes covered include: mentoring schemes and how to evaluate mentoring; masculine identity; rites of passage programs and manhood training; black supplementary schools; and African-centred knowledge systems.”

22. Unbark The Fire: Visions for the Education of African American Children
By Janice E. Hale

Hale (early childhood education, Wayne State U.) further develops the theses of her earlier book, Black Children, and argues that African American culture should be considered in designing educational practice for African American children. She analyzes the historical context of upward mobility, discusses the cultural milieu that provides the framework for African American values and behavior, and describes an early childhood demonstration program.

23. SBA the Reawakening of the African Mind
Asa G., III Hilliard;

“SBA: The Reawakening of the African Mind is a key. It is a roadmap. It is a call to destiny…. With SBA: The Reawakening of the African Mind, Dr. Hilliard…helps us to comprehend why education is so critical to African liberation and advancement. Within his opening thoughts, Asa inextricably links the mind (spirit), with culture and education. He notes that to reawaken the African mind, one must ensure that the goal of education and the socialization process must be to understand and live up to African cultural principles, values and virtues.”—Wade W. Nobles, Ph.D. (From the Foreword)

24. Blacks in Science: Ancient and Modern (Journal of African Civilizations; Vol. 5, No. 1-2) Ivan Van Sertima (Editor)

I recommend anyone reaching and exploring to shatter the myths of primitive Africans to read this book. Another thing this book explores is the evidence they found in Kenya of an astronomical observatory. The book does show the lack of study in the scientific nature of indigenous African people.


25. Mis-Education of the Negro
Carter G. Woodson;

“Woodson’s “Mis-Education of the Negro” is still the most thorough articulation on the damage inflicted on the African American sense of self (which includes esteem, efficacy, worth, consciousness, image, and identity) by the American Schooling system. This book lays the foundation and provides the rationale for African Centered Education.” Lethandus Goddins II

26. Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America’s Classrooms
Michael Porter;

27. African-Centered Psychology: Culture-Focusing for Multicultural Competence
Daudi Ajani Ya Azibo

28. Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery
Na’Im Akbar

Are African-Americans still slaves? Why can't Black folks get together? What is the psychological consequence for Blacks and Whites of picturing God as a Caucasian? Learn to break the chains of your mental slavery with this new book by one of the world's outstanding experts on the African-American mind.

29. Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?
And Other Conversations about Race
by Beverly Daniel Tatum

30. Infusion of African & African American Content in the School Curriculum

How to get your children excited about school and their own history
Asa G. Hilliard



31. Prophetic Insight:
The Higher Education and Pedagogy of African Americans
Earnest N. Bracey;

Prophetic Insight explores contentious issues in higher education concerning black students relative to larger society, while providing the competing perspectives needed to understand and evaluate multiculturalism and the diverging exigencies facing the higher education system in America. Ernest N. Bracey invites conversation about the pedagogy of blacks, discusses the current state of Black Studies, the W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington debate, and Afrocentricity. He invites an appreciation of the beginnings and roots of black education in America, recognizing the debate over affirmative action, and explores the uniqueness of historically black colleges and universities. Most importantly, Bracey provides constructive and analytical information on the necessary methods of examining African American politics and higher education within the context of historical and contemporary issues.

32. Black Young Adults How to Reach Them, What to Teach Them:
How to Reach Them, What to Teach Them
Walter A. McCray;

According to Rev. McCray, it is the black young adults ages 17 to 24, especially the males, who will either make the Black Church and community or break them through their own broken lives. Here Rev. McCray presents meaningful and clear directions and workable ideas to help black youth grow into strong committed young adults. (Black Light Fellowship)

FROM THE PUBLISHER: The strength of the book lies in the author’s identification of unique ways in which Christian education can communicate God’s Word to young adults in the Black Church.

33. Heritage
By Joyce M. Jarrett,

Unique in its perspective and range, this developmental reader/writer uses diverse essays, short stories, poems and plays by and about African Americans to stimulate critical reading, thinking, discussion, and writing. It first provides a comprehensive process-oriented writing guide with illustrations of writing in progress, and then offers a diverse collection of readings. The readings explore 18 themes and will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers — both traditional and non-traditional.

34. Young, Gifted, and Black
By Theresa Perry, Claude Steele, Asa G., III Hilliard

Young, Gifted, and Black is a unique joint effort by three leading African-American scholars to radically reframe the debates swirling around the achievement of African-American students in school. In three separate but allied essays, Theresa Perry, Claude Steele, and Asa Hilliard place students” social identity as African-Americans at the very center of the discussion. They all argue that the unique social and cultural position Black students occupy, in a society which often devalues and stereotypes African American identity, fundamentally shapes students” experience of school and sets up unique obstacles. And they all argue that a proper understanding of the forces at work can lead to practical, powerful methods for promoting high achievement at all levels.

35. Learning to Survive: Black Youth Look for Education and Hope
Atron A. Gentry;

This book presents the experiences and ideas of a leading Black educator, interweaving his autobiography with the stories of contemporary street gang members and former members. Their own words illustrate Gentry’s thesis that even the hardest gang members wanted to get an education and want to find “The Hope Factor.” In addition, the book offers an approach for dealing with the greatest challenges facing the nation today: urban violence and the mis-education of minority youth.

36. How to Teach Math to Black Students
By Shahid Muhammad

Author has been a math teacher in public and private schools for more than 10 years. He has received numerous awards, including America’s Teacher Award. He lives in Chicago.

37. Contentious Curricula: Afrocentrism and Creationism in American Public Schools
Amy J. Binder;

Binder carefully considers the scholarly literature of social movements and makes a contribution to it by examining social movements focusing on the impact of these movements on subnational governmental units.

38. Building Effective Afterschool Programs
By Olatokunbo S. Fashola

“... Provides a breadth of information that interested stakeholders can use in planning, designing, or implementing an afterschool program. Especially noteworthy is the attention paid to the importance of evaluation.”

39. Evaluation and authority in independent Black educational institutions
Jean Marie Sharp;

40. Educating the Black Child in the Black Independent School
Seth Nii Asumah;

This volume offers an alternative approach to educating Black children in, especially, our urban centers. We hope that this book will provide an eminent challenge to students, teachers, and educators, who interact with and teach Black children, to develop and sustain a successful Africana personality that is not alienated from the walls of the American school system.

41. Visible Now: Blacks in Private Schools (Contributions in Afro-American and African Studies)
Diana T. Slaughter;

Since 1970 increasing percentages of Black students have enrolled in all types of private schools in diverse though predominantly urban regions of the nation. This book looks at all aspects of the educational experiences of the Black children in private and parochial schools, and explores the implications of private schooling for educational policy and future research. The editors’ introduction provides an overview of the educational situation of Black children, focusing on the interface between the children, their families, and academic achievement in their schools. The organization of the volume reflects the diversity of private school types attended by Black children.

42. Ourstory Qaidi Faraj



Qaidi Faraj is a writer, educator and activist who has written a book for our children about themselves. Ourstory tells them who they are through the eyes and work of their ancestors, the same ancestors who built and cultivated the world’s first and greatest civilizations who consistently acted in their children’s interest, whose lives consciously followed and defended the patterns and rules established by the universe. It is not someone else’s fiction of what happened to us or what they did to us as we sat idly by or celebrated our destruction. It is a factual reenactment of our self-determined struggle to remain powerful Afrikan people. Ourstory is a book to be read and studied by middle and high school students (and adults also because we cannot teach our children what we do not know). It makes concepts, places and events plain without taking away any of the unfolding drama, while the vocabulary subtly challenges them to reach higher levels of thinking. It has already become a well distributed teaching tool among home and private schools, as well as study groups. People often ask for a history curriculum for their children that gives them a sense of self without glorifying that which never was. Ourstory is an essential part of such a curriculum that provides empowering truth.

43. Freedom Challenge: African American Homeschoolers
Grace Llewellyn;

Whatever the quality of the nation’s public schools, it’s clear African American students are particularly affected by their weaknesses. It’s not surprising, therefore, that Llewellyn—editor of “Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don’t Go to School” (1993) and author of “The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education” (1991)--found more than a dozen parents and children willing, even anxious, to share their experiences with what Llewellyn calls “unschooling.”

Back to:

RBG Who, What, Why and How: Background & Significance

For Further Study:
The Council of Independent Black Institutions (CIBI)