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
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 womenHistory. | Women in educationUnited StatesHistory. | African American women college teachersUnited StatesHistory. | African American social reformersUnited StatesHistory. | DiscriminationUnited StatesHistory. | Social justiceStudy and teachingUnited StatesHistory.
Classification: LCC E185.86 .B54165 2019 | DDC 305.48/896073dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018013692
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Barbara J. Love and Valerie D. Jiggetts
Stephanie Y. Evans, Andrea D. Domingue, and Tania D. Mitchell
Tania D. Mitchell
Layli Maparyan
Jaymee Lewis-Flenaugh, Eboni N. Turnbow, and Sharee L. Myricks
Judy A. Alston
Michele D. Smith and Maia Niguel Moore
Natasha Howard
Ashley Robertson Preston
Katie McCabe and Stephanie Y. Evans
Shennette Garrett-Scott and Dominique Garrett-Scott
Bettina L. Love and Sarah Abdelaziz
Robin Brooks
Michelle R. Dunlap, Christina D. Burrell, and Penney Jade Beaubrun
Colette M. Taylor
Keffrelyn D. Brown
Brenda L. H. Marina
Cherjant D. Lenzy
Lydia Washington
Chrystal A. George Mwangi and Keisha L. Green
Malika Carter
Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
Rhonda Y. Williams
Andrea D. Domingue and Stephanie Y. Evans
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 campuses 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 insights that supported my work over the last 10 years. A few in particular stand out: Dr. Ximena Zuniga as an early advisor who continually guides me in my work on critical pedagogy and facilitation, and my beloved community of collaborators, whom I depend on for co-facilitation, design considerations, and exchange of resourcesMolly Keehn, Dave Neely, Chase Catalano, Rachel Wagner, Mike Funk, Rani Varghese, and Safire DeJong. Successful completion of this book is also attributed to my dearest friends and community. Words cannot adequately express how sincerely appreciative I am for each of you who cared for me throughout my writing process and believed in me when I needed it most. A special thank you to the coaches and members of Pioneer Valley Crossfit who demonstrated the power of community and showed me that no obstacle is too great to overcome. I appreciate the check-ins about my progress and taking the time to help me talk through ideas. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Prince for his unquestionable companionship.
Tania D. Mitchell: This project would not have been possible without the amazing contributors who shared their knowledge, experiences, and passion in this volume. I also want to appreciate Stephanie Evans and Dre Domingue for inviting me into this experience and for their leadership and care throughout the process. A book titled Black Women and Social Justice Education requires gratitude and appreciation for the Black women who have mentored me, mothered me, befriended me, and inspired me throughout my lifetime. To Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Dorothy Height, Ella Baker, Barbara Jordan, Audre Lorde, Ruby Dee, Octavia Butler, and so many morethank you. To my grandmothers Alice Lynch, Otelia Mitchell, and Hilda Pierre, and to my mother, Sharon Mitchell-Pierre, who laid the foundation, made the bricks, and fashioned the mortarI am so grateful. I dedicate this effort to Ellison Pier Hans who came into the world as this book was coming together and gave me every motivation to make sure it was finished. May the legacies and lessons compiled in this volume give its readers the knowledge, strength, and courage to work for the world she deserves.
