Teaching Equality

Fairclough provides an overview of the enormous contributions made by African American teachers to the black freedom movement in the United States. Beginning with the close of the Civil War, he explores the development of educational ideals in the black community up through the years of the civil rights movement.

An impressive sampling of primary and secondary sources that both scholars and general readers will find useful.

In three essays, Fairclough evaluates the actions of African American educators from 1877 to 1954 in the southern US. First he considers the work of black teachers during the last part of the 19th century. Then he looks at the role played by Robert R. Moton, who succeeded Booker T. Washington as president of Tuskegee Institute. Third, he considers the work of African American teachers during the 20th century before the Brown decision. In each essay, Fairclough acknowledges that many people point to these individuals as leaders in the campaign for racial equality. However, he notes that some people claimed that these same educators hampered the Civil Rights Movement. Fairclough's contribution is to demonstrate that both opinions may be true: while black educators affirmed the ability of African American students to master academic knowledge, they avoided political demonstrations of their beliefs.

ADAM FAIRCLOUGH is the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Chair of History and Culture of the United States at Leiden University. His books include Martin Luther King Jr. , To Redeem the Soul of America , Race and Democracy , and The Star Creek Papers (all Georgia).