School Clothes

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A chorus of Black student voices renders a new story of US education, confronting racial barriers and violence through freedom dreaming and resistance. For centuries, Black students have navigated the color line, facing challenges from slavery to Jim Crow, often viewed as a troubled population in America. Through over one hundred firsthand accounts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Professor Jarvis Givens presents a powerful counter-narrative to these prejudiced perceptions. He highlights the educational journeys of influential figures like Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, Mary McLeod Bethune, Malcolm X, and Angela Davis, alongside lesser-known Black students who made significant contributions. Givens weaves these individual voices into a collective memoir, revealing a shared narrative of African American youth who resist the violent condemnation and miseducation imposed upon them. This work elevates the legacy of Black students, showcasing them as more than their suffering. By peeling back historical layers, Givens uncovers a distinct student body shaped by vulnerability, triumphs, and collective strivings, ultimately redefining the understanding of Black educational experiences.