“A Legacy of Strength and Brilliance”: Black Educators’ Resistance and Resilience Amid Antidemocratic Legislation

• In Event: Whose Histories? Whose Futures? Coloniality, Control, and Counterstories in Schooling

Abstract

This study explores how Black-identifying K–12 educators in Ohio and Texas navigate antidemocratic legislation restricting discussions of race and equity. Using narrative inquiry and Critical Discourse Analysis grounded in BlackCrit, the study amplifies educators’ counterstories of emotional labor, professional constraint, and acts of resistance. Findings highlight systemic barriers, Black joy, and resilience, illustrating the human cost of suppressive policies and their implications for equity, teacher retention, and democratic education.

Author

• Debra A Jones, The Ohio State University