"Daniel was racist": Individualizing racism when teaching about the Civil Rights Movement. (3rd July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wills, John S.
• Is Part Of: Theory and research in social education. Volume 47:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 396
• Page End: 425
• Publication Date: 2019-07-03
• Subjects: Civil Rights Movement -- race and racism -- U.S. history; Social sciences -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 300.71
• DOI: 10.1080/00933104.2019.1583620
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0093-3104

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study investigated how racism was represented in a unit on civil rights in three 11th-grade U.S. history classes. Using qualitative methods, I observed classroom lessons in three teachers' classes, collected curriculum and student work, and interviewed teachers and students to document and explain how racism was represented during the Civil Rights Movement. I found a consistent pattern of representing racism narrowly as individual prejudice across all three classes. Equating racism with individual prejudice was enabled by framing the unit around a Margaret Mead quotation regarding social change and the use of curricular materials that focused on the perspectives, choices, and actions on ordinary people in historical events. I conclude by arguing that equipping students to critically address racism in the United States today depends on enhancing the racial literacy of history teachers.