Once a Year to Be Black: Carter G. Woodson, Curriculum, and Teaching During Black History Month

• In Event: Race, Gender, and Power in Reimagining the History of American Curriculum

Abstract

The relevance of Black History Month (BHM) is under scrutiny by opponents that feel it marginalizes the histories of African Americans. While teaching African American history once a year does not fulfill the goal of critically reshaping inequitable curriculum, BHM is a time that many K-12 teachers recognize the histories of African Americans in classrooms. This presentation presents the findings from a qualitative study that examined the experiences of three middle school teachers that created their own Black history curriculum. Findings suggest that BHM teaching paradoxically operates in transgressive and regressive ways that require more scholarly attention and consideration.

Authors

• LaGarrett Jarriel King, Clemson University

• Keffrelyn D. Brown, The University of Texas - Austin