“It Was Never Less Than”: Reclaiming Narratives through Student Counter-stories of Baltimore County's Colored Schools

• In Event: Remembering a Way Forward by Reclaiming the Past

Abstract

This research disrupts dominant narratives that portray segregated schools as inherently inferior by centering the voices of students who attended colored schools in Baltimore County, Maryland. Framed through Critical Race Theory and Desire-Based Research, this study amplifies student stories that highlight the academic rigor, cultural affirmation, and cultivation of joy within these schools. Through narrative inquiry, elders shared experiences that challenge deficit-based accounts of Black education. The assertion that their education “was never less than” reveal how colored schools fostered holistic development and prepared students to excel in spite of the disparities and inequities of segregation. This research offers a necessary historical correction and calls for educational practices that uplift student voice, culturally sustaining pedagogies and community engagement.

Author

• Brianna C. Ross, Morgan State University