Huey P. Newton: The Educator

• In Event: Black Educators and the Struggle for Educational Justice

Abstract

Few know that Huey P. Newton, cofounder of the Black Panther Party, aspired to be an educator. While some research has been done about his educational theory, little has been written about his praxis. This study addresses that gap through of historical analysis of Newton’s pedagogical praxis in two courses he created while studying at Merritt College and UCSC as well as in his role as a trustee of the Intercommunal Youth Institute (the Oakland Community School). This archival research shows that Newton understood how to simultaneously push for justice in the community while designing spaces that taught others to do the same. Newton’s pedagogical praxis can serve as a model for educators today interested in cultivating equitable education systems.

Author

• Sandra Habtamu, Stanford University