Reading, Interpreting, and Teaching Black History: Preservice Teachers' Racial Literacy in U.S. History Classrooms

• In Event: 29.051 - Intersections of African American and Black Identity and History in Teacher Preparation

Abstract

Although racial literacy can be developed through Black history instruction, little research explicates how teacher education uses Black history as a heuristic to teach about race. Guinier’s (2004) notion of racial literacy is used to discuss how four social studies pre-service teachers interpreted and taught about race through Black history. To prepare for their student teaching semester, the participants engaged in a summer reading program dedicated to learning Black history and race. The reader’s intent was to help teachers gain the necessary knowledge to create a nexus between race and Black history. The findings indicated that instruction on race and Black history included problematic details, yet was more critical and nuanced than is typically found in U.S. history courses.

Author

• LaGarrett Jarriel King, University of Missouri - Columbia