A Historiography of the Mathematics Education of Blacks Schooled in the United States

• In Event: Roundtable Session 73
  In Roundtable Session: Contextual and Psychological Factors Influencing STEM Success for Black Students

Abstract

In exploring the question, “What are the factors that influence successful mathematics achievement for Black students raised in the U.S.,” this study used an historical contextual frame to problemtize the current learning and achievement of Black students. The paper is from a chapter in my dissertation that extended Ladson-Billings’ (2006) work on the achievement gap by offering a socio-historical analysis of the mathematics education of African Americans socialized in the U.S. from the American pre-Civil War era to the mid-20th century. Kim Tolley’s (2003) seminal text, The Science Education of American Girls: A Historical Perspective is used to juxtapose the schooling experiences of European girls and African Americans as well to generate hypotheses about factors that can influence mathematics achievement.

Author

• Nicole Michelle Russell, University of Denver