The White Architects of Black Education: Ideology and Power in America, 1865–1954

by William H. Watkins

A historical investigation into the political and ideological foundations of the "miseducation of the Negro" in America, this timely and provocative volume explores the men and ideas that helped shape educational and societal apartheid from the Civil War to the new millennium. It is a study of how big corporate power uses private wealth to legislate, shape unequal race relations, broker ideas, and define "acceptable" social change. Drawing on little-known biographies of White power brokers who shaped Black education, William Watkins explains the structuring of segregated education that has plagued the United States for much of the 20th century. With broad and interdisciplinary appeal, this book is written in a language accessible to lay people and scholars alike.

Genres: Education, Social Justice, History, Nonfiction, Grad School, Teaching, School

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Delores Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good read for those who are deeply concerned about the imbalance/unequal education of people of color and most assuredly the education of the Black Race.This book could quite possibly be extremely boring, if one isn't interested in the history, ideology and egalitarian lack of equal rights, for people of color in all aspects of society. It deals with the former days of "Slavery to......Modern day Slavery!"

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important and thought provoking consideration of how early industrialists and those at the center of early wealth after the Civil War had an impact on the development and engagement of African Americans in education. Examples of those whose impacts are meaningfully acknowledged are Samuel Chapman Armstrong, the Rockefellers, and a group of others, some with well known names and others that have began to slide into obscurity. Perhaps this is what the book does best, it ensures that this intersection of people and industry are acknowledged as being "architects" of education with their fair share of biases, reasoning, and so forth. While there are obviously elements of the biases of white industrialists in such an enterprise, there is also a connection to larger topics that may be better tread in history, such as Booker T. Washington's connection with the Hampton Institute. While topics and studies of that connection may be well known, Watkins in this book fleshes out Armstrong and others as architects who - with admitted bias, racism, and systems of oppression in place - still acted as architects of African American education.

While the system was - and in some measure still remains- flawed for underrepresented voices, in closing Watkins touches on something that should be considered in other studies, saying, in part: "In many ways, the forging of this endeavor helped to teach America's corporate industrial class how to rule." If this is true, and Watkins presents enough evidence to make it worth consideration, then how does continuing educational needs and discussions speak to the value, longevity, and purpose of that rule?

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The industrial machine, philanthropy, and social engineering come together to develop a "solution" to address newly freed slave education. This brilliant dive into the "progressive" views of well-connected white men in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, provides a shocking look at how the foundation for educating African American children was fueled by the need to produce, control, and exploit. This book left me wondering what modern day educational practices are replaying themselves in front of our eyes. How has "technical training" evolved today?

[Scott S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful! Interesting to see how capitalism and white philanthropy worked in tandem to create the foundation for black education after slavery.

[Cody House · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for class.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

very eye opening

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and thoughtful. Watkins explains how African Americans in the United States weren’t meant to succeed through the education system but to remain subservient and to support capitalism.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to say "I liked this book" as it discusses a lot of the racist practices in the forming of educational systems for freed slaves and that impact education of minority students, in some ways, to this day. But the book was thought-provoking and very balanced. I was so impressed with Watkins' ability to discuss such evils from a truly balanced perspective. We saw these architects as more than just evil, there was nuance and perspective on where they were coming from.

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good history.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at how post-civil war education for African-Americans did not always serve them well. Very interesting.