African American Education

The long struggle of the African American community to secure the right to an education reflects the struggle of many other oppressed groups. The African American community, perhaps more than any other group, has worked diligently to obtain that highly regarded commodity only to encounter great opposition at almost every turn. Despite the vigilance with which their attempts were thwarted, the Black community has been able to make extraordinary strides and forever change the landscape of education in the United States. Characterized by oppression, resistance, and proactive [Page 28]effort, the complex history of African American education is not only the study of a marginalized group but is central to a holistic understanding of the social and cultural foundations of education.

This entry unfolds primarily chronologically, ...