Harlem's 'motherwork' post-Brown: implications for urban school leaders. (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Watson, Terri N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of educational administration and history. Volume 52:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 244
• Page End: 255
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: Urban school leadership -- school improvement -- Black women -- motherwork; School management and organization -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Administration scolaire -- Grande-Bretagne -- Périodiques; 371.2
• DOI: 10.1080/00220620.2020.1761779
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0620

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The recent calls to desegregate New York City's public schools reify the fact that equity, social justice, and access to meaningful schooling continue to be a significant problem for Black and Hispanic children and their families, especially those who reside in urban communities. In this historiography I utilise a Black feminist perspective to explore how Harlem's mothers desegregated NYC's public schools after the landmark school desegregation ruling. The mothers' advocacy and efforts embodied the concept of motherwork, an attribute that is often unrecognised by school leaders. Implications are offered to urge urban school leaders to reimagine best practices and the function of parent involvement and community engagement in their respective school-communities.