A Quantitative Historical Analysis of the Black/White Teacher Gap: Who Becomes a Teacher?

• In Event: Mapping Black Teaching Experiences Across Time and Space

Abstract

This paper explores historical factors that have contributed to the shortage of Black teachers in the years following the Brown v. Board decision of 1954. This paper utilizes U.S. Census data to provide a quantitative historical analysis of Black and White college graduates between the ages 22 and 30 to examine their likelihood of entering the teaching profession. The findings indicate that Black college graduates are actually more likely to enter the profession of teaching than their white peers. This result suggests that there is an insufficient supply of Black college graduates to enter the profession. Put simply, there are too few black college graduates to supply the profession of teaching as compared to the supply of white college graduates.

Author

• Jennifer K. Hurst, Beloit College
  Presenting Author