African American Students: Creating Excellence

Discussions of achieving educational excellence for African American children commonly center around strategies for closing the achievement gap between African American children and children of other American ethnic groups. Some scholars, such as V. P. Franklin, assert that the goal in educating African American children should extend beyond their catching up with children of other ethnic groups. He maintains that African American children must be prepared for their leadership role among African peoples throughout the world in the 21st century. This entry describes the tensions and challenges between various approaches to achieving equity and excellence for African American children.

A discussion of achieving educational excellence for African American students must first highlight the philosophical contradictions that undergird racism and inequality. The first contradiction emanates from the ...