Politics, Space, and Pedagogy: Black Independent Education in Boston (1969–1985)

• In Event: Independent Black Education Movements: Black Communities in Pursuit of Their Own Truth in Education Research

Abstract

How do political philosophies influence the physical environment and pedagogical practices in independent Black institutions? In this paper, I utilize the method of historical ethnography to conduct a qualitative case study of politics, space, and pedagogy at St. Joseph’s Community School in Boston (1969-1985). I analyze archival school documents and oral history interviews with former educators and families to understand how a variety of political philosophies shaped the physical space and teaching practices at St. Joseph’s Community School.
Ultimately, I argue that the political commitments of the community manifested not only in the collaborative leadership of the school, but also, through the history of the school building’s location, renovation, and internal organization, as well as in the practice of multi-teacher open-classrooms and child-centered pedagogy. By interrogating the ways that the unique political imperatives of the local community shaped the practice of educational self-determination at St. Joseph’s, I build upon the work of historians who argue that no singular Black politics served as the underpinning for the movements for community control and Black independent schools (Rickford, 2016, Todd-Breland, 2018). By highlighting the unique institutional practices at St. Joseph’s Community School, this paper seeks to both expand the historical narrative regarding the politics and educational strategies of independent Black institutions and illustrate the direct impact of political philosophy on the spatial and pedagogical aspects of the Black educational experience.

Author

• Zenzile Saharee Riddick, Harvard University
  Presenting Author