Black Women and Social Justice Education: Legacies and Lessons

398 Pages·2019·1.659 MB·English

by  Stephanie Y. Evans (editor), Andrea D. Domingue (editor), Tania D. Mitchell (editor)

Black Women and Social Justice Education
SUNY series, Praxis: Theory in Action
—————
Nancy A. Naples, editor
Black Women and Social Justice Education
Legacies and Lessons
Edited by
Stephanie Y. Evans, Andrea D. Domingue,
and Tania D. Mitchell
Cover image courtesy of Francis Mead. Reproduced with permission of the artist.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2019 State University of New York
Chapter 20 “The Dialectic of Radical Black Feminism” © Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic,
electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise
without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Evans, Stephanie Y., editor. | Domingue, Andrea D., 1981– editor. |
Mitchell, Tania D., 1974– editor.
Title: Black women and social justice education : legacies and lessons /
edited by Stephanie Y. Evans, Andrea D. Domingue, Tania D. Mitchell.
Description: Albany : State University of New York Press, [2019] | Series:
SUNY series, praxis: theory in action | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018013692 | ISBN 9781438472959 (hardcover : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781438472966 (ebook) | ISBN 9781438472942 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: African American women—History. | Women in education—
United States—History. | African American women college teachers—United
States—History. | African American social reformers—United States—History. |
Discrimination—United States—History. | Social justice—Study and teaching—
United States—History.
Classification: LCC E185.86 .B54165 2019 | DDC 305.48/896073—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018013692
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Foreword
Black Women Rising: Jumping Double-Dutch with a Liberatory
Consciousness xi
Barbara J. Love and Valerie D. Jiggetts
Introduction
Black Women’s Educational Philosophies and Social Justice Values
of the 94 Percent 1
Stephanie Y. Evans, Andrea D. Domingue, and Tania D. Mitchell
PART I
EXAMINING IDENTITY AND THEORY
Chapter 1
Gone Missin’: The Absence of Black Women’s Praxis in
Social Justice Theory 23
Tania D. Mitchell
Chapter 2
Social Justice Education and Luxocracy 43
Layli Maparyan
Chapter 3
When Intersections Collide: Young Black Women Combat Sexism,
Racism, and Ageism in Higher Education 55
Jaymee Lewis-Flenaugh, Eboni N. Turnbow, and Sharee L. Myricks
vi Contents
Chapter 4
Standing Outside of the Circle: The Politics of Identity and
Leadership in the Life of a Black Lesbian Professor 67
Judy A. Alston
Chapter 5
Black Feminist Thought: A Response to White Fragility 75
Michele D. Smith and Maia Niguel Moore
Chapter 6
The Reproduction of the Anti-Black Misogynist Apparatus in U.S.
and Latin American Pop Culture 91
Natasha Howard
PART II
EVALUATING FOUNDATIONS AND GENERATIONS
Chapter 7
A Seat at the Table: Mary McLeod Bethune’s Call for the Inclusion
of Black Women During World War II 105
Ashley Robertson Preston
Chapter 8
The Life of Dovey Johnson Roundtree (1914–2018): A Centenarian
Lesson in Social Justice and Regenerative Power 121
Katie McCabe and Stephanie Y. Evans
Chapter 9
This Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s Revolution—Or Maybe It Is: #TakeBackTheFlag
and the New Student Activism 141
Shennette Garrett-Scott and Dominique Garrett-Scott
Chapter 10
We Got a Lot to Be Mad About: A Seat at Solange’s Table 165
Bettina L. Love and Sarah Abdelaziz
PART III
POSITING PEDAGOGY
Chapter 11
Black, Female, and Teaching Social Justice: Transformative Pedagogy
for Challenging Times 183
Robin Brooks
Contents vii
Chapter 12
Moments in the Danger Zone: Encountering “Non-Racist,”
“Non-Racial,” and “Non-Color-Seeing” Do-Gooders 201
Michelle R. Dunlap, Christina D. Burrell, and
Penney Jade Beaubrun
Chapter 13
And the Tree is NOT ALWAYS Happy!: A Black Woman
Authentically Leading and Teaching Social Justice in
Higher Education 219
Colette M. Taylor
Chapter 14
Effectively Teaching the One Course on Race and Culture:
Critical Explorations from a Black Woman Social Justice
Teacher Educator 231
Keffrelyn D. Brown
Chapter 15
Social Conceptions and the Angst of Mentoring Women of
Diverse Backgrounds in Higher Education 245
Brenda L. H. Marina
PART IV
REINFORCING ACTIVISM AND COMMUNITY BUILDING
Chapter 16
Navigating the Complexities of Race-Based Activism 261
Cherjanét D. Lenzy
Chapter 17
Storytelling: Advising Black Women Student Leaders in White Spaces 275
Lydia Washington
Chapter 18
Reflections on Moving Theory to Praxis: Dialectical Engagements of
Black Women Faculty in an Urban High School Space 285
Chrystal A. George Mwangi and Keisha L. Green
Chapter 19
Scholarly Personal Narrative of an Inaugural Chief Diversity Officer:
A Primer for Municipality Leaders 305
Malika Carter
viii Contents
PART V
AFTER WORDS
Chapter 20
The Dialectic of Radical Black Feminism 319
Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
Chapter 21
For Black Women Who Educate for Social Justice and Put Their
Time, Lives, and Spirits on the Line 327
Rhonda Y. Williams
Concluding Thoughts
Black Women Educators, Healing History, and Developing a
Sustainable Social Justice Practice 341
Andrea D. Domingue and Stephanie Y. Evans
Contributors 353
Index 363
Acknowledgments
Stephanie Y. Evans: Thank you to “Dr. Dre” Domingue and my longtime
UMass friend Tania Mitchell, scholars with both intellectual and practical
expertise in social justice education. Without you two, this book would not
be as clear or complete. Special thanks to authors who contributed their
minds and hearts to this volume. We gather in the spirit of collectives like
the Combahee River Collective, But Some of Us are Brave editors, Spelman
College scholar collaboratives, Presumed Incompetent editors, Crunk Feminist
Collective, and so many other scholar-activist sister circles. Thanks to cam-
puses and organizations that encourage, facilitate, or institutionalize social
justice education work. The progress of our world depends on this pedagogy
and praxis. I am especially grateful to my ancestors who learned and taught
despite personal, social, and structural violence. This book is dedicated to
the millions of Black women educators across continents who not only teach
but inspire. And I offer gratitude for my life partner in love and justice, Dr.
Curtis D. Byrd.
Andrea D. Domingue: First, and most important, I dedicate this work to my
late parents, Lois M. Domingue and Claude J. Domingue. Both parents were
my earliest role models and biggest supporters. They believed in me and my
ability to lead, educate, and strive for social change before I believed in myself.
I would like to express deep gratitude to Dr. Stephanie Y. Evans and Dr. Tania
D. Mitchell. I am continually humbled that I was considered and invited to
co-edit this pivotal text. I consider you both my possibility models; I appreciate
your patience and flexibility during our process, and it has been an honor to
learn from the two of you. I also hold appreciation for my dissertation advisor,
Dr. Maurianne Adams. Her exceptional mentorship was vital in my personal
development as an educator and writer; she always encouraged me to use
my authentic voice. I would like to thank my colleagues in the UMass Social
Justice Education concentration for the mentorship, expertise, resources, and
ix