The Mis-Education of the Negro

Carter Godwin Woodson

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9780486130927
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: History of Education
• Index: Social Sciences

In 1933, American historian and educator Carter Woodson (1875-1950) delivered a powerful and prophetic denouncement of "Euro-centric"school curricula that still rings true. Woodson inspired black Americans to demand relevant learning opportunities that were inclusive of their own culture and heritage. In issuing this challenge, Woodson laid the foundation for more progressive and egalitarian educational institutions.
The thoughts Woodson expressed in addresses and articles formed the basis for this work, described by The New York Times as a challenging book that "throws down the gauntlet to those who have had anything to do with Negro education, whether of white or black race."
The founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, Woodson was also the author of more than sixteen books and the founder and editor of the Journal of Negro History and the Negro History Bulletin. This landmark work remains essential reading for educators and everyone who seeks to understand the African-American experience.

Index

Abyssinia

Africa, migration to, as solution of problem study of, neglected

African Art, objection to use of term by Negroes

African Background

Africans, contributions of, in science in languages in literature in fine arts in law in medicine in agriculture in music in industry to general progress in philosophy to the Mediterranean to life of American Negro to Christianity as a name pride of, in race

Aldridge, Ira, successful career of

Allen, Richard, opposition of, to colonization conversion by, of master leadership of

Arithmetic, mis-education of Negro in

Association for the Study of Negro Life and History

Atlanta, teaching of Negro history in public schools of

Atlantic city, teaching of Negro history in public schools of

Bagley, reference to

Baker, Josephine, reference to

Bancroft, Dr. Frederic, a scholarly historian

Banneker, Benjamin, peace plan of

Baptist Church, loss of membership by ignorant ministers in

Bentley, George, conversion by, of whites

Bible, false interpretation of

Birmingham, teaching of Negro history in public schools of

Black, pride of Africans in being shame of, by American Negroes

Black Belt, education in religion in

Bowers, Claude, a propagandist

Boyd, Henry, a Negro business man of initiative

Bremer, Frederika, appreciation by, of rôle of Negro in America

Brown, John, distortion of, by the mis-educationists

Burroughs, Miss Nannie H., school of, referred to

Business, see Negro business

Campbell, T. M., a proper teacher for specialists in agriculture

Capitalism, dissatisfaction with, by “highly educated Negroes,” possibilities for Negroes in

Captein, reference to

Carnegie, Andrew, reference to

Carver, George W., a proper teacher for graduate chemistry

Catholics, separate schools of

Catterall, Mrs. H. T., a scholarly historian

Census, figures from, a false basis for progress

Chicago, University of, inadequate curriculum of, for study of Negro rural education mis-education of Negroes in economics at failure of Negroes from

China, American missionaries in

Church, see Negro Church

Classical education, beginning of, in South versus industrial education

Colonization, opposition to

Color, use of, by Negroes by whites

Colored, dispute about use of, as term

Columbia University, inadequate curriculum of, for study of Negro rural education mis-education of Negroes in economics at neglect of study of Negro in

Commission, fear of Negroes to work for

Communism, increase of, among “highly educated” Negroes

Constitution of the United States, study of, not considered desirable for Negroes

Cooperation, lack of, among Negroes

Crime

Curry, white Southerner, interest of, in Negro education

Day, Thomas, a Negro business man of initiative

De Forest, Dr., a successful missionary to China and Japan

Degrees, overemphasis of, by administrators by teachers

De Priest, Oscar, interest of, in study of constitution by Negroes

District of Columbia, little progress in, by Negroes shortsightedness of Negroes in

Doctors of philosophy, failure of, as teachers

Domestication of Animals

Donnan, Miss Elizabeth, a scholarly historian

Douglass, Frederick, plea by, for Negroes to enter industry

Drama, mis-education in possibilities in

Dumas, Alexandre, reference to

Economics, mis-education of Negroes in

Economic conditions of Negroes, after Civil War prevalence of diseases due to, 13; result of mis-education

“Educated Negro,” dislike of, for Negro institutions

Education, failure of, among whites, ix false philosophy of,; real meaning of of Negro, as means of control two kinds of new program in lessons in, from foreign countries conservatism of

Egyptians, contribution of, to embalming, neglected influence of, in Mediterranean World

Engineering, failure to capitalize possibilities in

English, new program for study of

Ethiopia, grandeur of

Evans, Henry, conversion by, of whites

Extravagance, among Negroes

Federal Government, insignificance of, in life of Negro

Filipinos, lessons in education among

Fine arts, mis-education in possibilities in

Folk songs, dislike of, by some Negroes

Ford, Henry, reference to

Foreigners, success of, in selling to Negroes

Forten, James, opposition of, to colonization

France, popularity of Negro in

Freedmen’s Bureau, schools and churches for Negroes established by

French Phonetics

“Friends” of the Negro, unsound attitude of

Future of Negro

Gandhi, Mahatma, reference to

Garrison, William Lloyd, distortion of, by the mis-educationists

General Education Board, policy of, for training Negro teachers

Geneva, unusual store in

Geoffrey, reference to

Geography, mis-education in

Gomez, reference to

Government, teaching of principles of, neglected ignorance of Negroes in matters of

Harper, Dr. William R., type of teachers sought by

Harvard, mis-education of Negroes in neglect of study of Negro at failure of Negroes from

Hayes, Roland, recognition gained by, in Europe

Haygood, white Southerner, interest of, in Negro education

Higher education in the four Southern centers, possibilities for as substitutes for education of Negroes in the North false ideas about

“Highly educated” Negroes, mis-education of estrangement of, from the masses foolish participation of, in national election campaigns in professions

History, mis-education in. See also Negro history

Hope, John, a successful administrator

Hubert, B. F., an expert in agriculture

Imitation of whites by Negroes, in education, viii–ix; in ways of living in fine arts in religion in law

Industrial education, beginning of—versus classical education use of by politicians failure of new program in

Industry, decline of Negro in discouragement from entering necessity for Negroes to organize in refusal of Negroes in, to work under Negroes

Inferiority, the idea of

Initiative, lack of, among Negroes in business evidences of, among Negroes

Innovations in education, opposition to

Insurance, fear of Negro graduates to enter, as a career reasons for failures in

Interracial cooperation, real meaning of

Iron, discovery of

Jackson, Andrew, reference to

Jasper, John, reference to

Jefferson, Thomas, advocate of liberty

Jews, success of, in spite of persecution,viii separate schools of

Jim Crow jobs in politics

Jim-Crowism, constitutionality of, attacked approval of, by Negro “leaders,”

Johnson, Mordecai W., a successful administrator

Journalism, mis-education of Negroes in

Judd, reference to

Knoxville, teaching of Negro history in public schools of

Languages, mis-education in new program in

Law, mis-education in new program in

Lawyers, difficulties encountered by incompetency of

Liberia, reasons for failure of

Lincoln, Abraham, reference to

Literature, scant production of, by American Negroes mis-education in new program in

Louisiana, teaching of Negro history in

Lynching, a result of false education by white Christians

Madison, James, advocate of liberty

Making a living, failure in, by Negroes in professions

Marx, Karl, reference to

Matzeliger, Jan, Negro inventor

Medicine, mis-education in difficulties in new program in

Mediterranean World, contributions of Africa to

Methodist Church, loss of membership by origins of excessive number of bishops in ignorant ministers in new program for

Miller, Kelly, reference to

“Mis-educated Negroes,” lack of vision of, in teaching failure of, in life and the church in the professions in politics attitude of, toward segregation attitude of, toward study of the Negro

Mis-education of the Negro, in colored schools in arithmetic in theology in busines...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Foreword
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• The Mis-Education of the Negro
• I. The Seat of the Trouble
• II. How We Missed the Mark
• III. How We Drifted Away from the Truth
• IV. Education Under Outside Control
• V. The Failure to Learn to Make a Living
• VI. The Educated Negro Leaves the Masses
• VII. Dissension and Weakness
• VIII. Professional Education Discouraged
• IX. Political Education Neglected
• X. The Loss of Vision
• XI. The Need for Service Rather Than Leadership
• XII. Hirelings in the Places of Public Servants
• XIII. Understand the Negro
• XIV. The New Program
• XV. Vocational Guidance
• XVI. The New Type of Professional Man Required
• XVII. Higher Strivings in the Service of the Country
• XVIII. The Study of the Negro
• Appendix
• Index