Black Civitas: An Examination of Carter Woodson's Contributions to Teaching About Race, Citizenship, and the Black Soldier

The Role of Schools in Educating Black Citizens: From the 1800s to the Present

“…The legal, economic, educational, and social barriers that hindered the formerly enslaved people from citizenship were replaced with new laws that prevented the full participation of Black citizens in politics and civil society (Anderson, 1988). For example, using CRT to explore the relationship between race, citizenship, and military service, A. L. Brown et al (2011) found that interest convergence was at play for Blacks in the armed forces. The "Black solider" who was willing to serve and die for a nation in which he had limited rights was often only permitted to serve when there was a lack of personnel.…”

“…Civic education lends itself to important discussions of the centrality of race in politics, economics, and schooling in the United States through exploring the relationship between race and citizenship (A. L. Brown, Crowley, & King, 2011;Ladson-Billings, 2004Milner, 2008). The connection between race and citizenship extends from the historical status of Blacks as non-citizens to the current challenges of exercising the benefits of citizenship through legal policies, economics, and education (Banks & Nguyen, 2008;A.…”

“…The connection between race and citizenship extends from the historical status of Blacks as non-citizens to the current challenges of exercising the benefits of citizenship through legal policies, economics, and education (Banks & Nguyen, 2008;A. L. Brown et al, 2011;Ladson-Billings, 2009;Taylor, 2009).…”

“…L. Brown et al, 2011;Ladson-Billings, 2009;Taylor, 2009). A. L. Brown et al (2011) explored the racial contract as it relates to citizenship, concluding, "The notion of the racial contract suggests that one's relationship with society is defined by a set of preordained explicit and implicit racial ideologies that see racial subordination as a normal part of the social contract" (p. 295). Other scholars emphasized that citizenship education has been largely colorblind and, therefore, inherently racist in attempting to downplay the impact of racism (King & Flowers, 2014;Ladson-Billings, 2003) to emphasize such democratic ideals as "equality for all" (Marshall, 2003).…”

“A Narrative to the Colored Children in America”: Lelia Amos Pendleton, African American History Textbooks, and Challenging Personhood

“…The sergeant replied, "Colonel I will bring back these colors to you or report to God the reason why" (Pendleton, 1971, p. 160). What is important to understand about the symbolism of Attucks's death and the African American sergeant's words was what they as African Americans represented at the timethe lowest form of personhood (according to traditional, hegemonic ideas of personhood)-yet they made the ultimate civic sacrifice; the willingness to die for one's country and protect U.S. interest (Brown, Crowley, & King, 2011). …”