Asa Hilliard: Conceptualizing and Constructing an African-Centered Pedagogy

Abstract

Asa G. Hilliard’s involvement in the education and re-Africanization process of African Americans serves as a prime example of an African-centered praxis that can be used to maximize the educational potential and possibilities of African people. As historian, psychologist, and teacher, Hilliard viewed education as one of the cornerstones in the African American quest for freedom and was committed to employing education as a tool to self-discovery and liberation. Hilliard’s work is explored through examining his perspectives on the relationship between history and psychology, the education of Black folk, the efforts to initiate paradigmatic shifts in intelligence testing, and the culture wars. This analysis of Hilliard highlights his theoretical and conceptual contributions to the formation of an African-centered pedagogy that functions as means for African descended people to affirm and assert their agency.