Anti-Black Literacy Laws and Policies

This book explores how anti-Black racism has shaped anti-literacy laws, policies, and customs in the US, revealing the historical roots of inequitable literacy education for Black students. It analyzes the impact of White supremacy on literacy access, examines empirical research and ideological assumptions, and highlights federal and state documents that restricted reading opportunities for Black people. The author provides historical vignettes and offers recommendations for dismantling racist reading research and laws, focusing on the experiences of Black people in the US.

Format: Hardback
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This groundbreaking book delves into the profound ways in which anti-Black racism has shaped and perpetuated anti-literacy laws, policies, and customs throughout history, from the colonial era to the present day. Serving as a counternarrative to the history of Black literacy in the United States, the book employs a historical lens to unveil the intricate political and social structures that have consistently failed to promote equity in literacy education for Black students. Arlette Ingram Willis takes readers on a captivating journey, illuminating the impact of anti-Black racism on literacy education by uncovering and documenting the unacknowledged history of Black literacy education, which is inextricably linked to a history of White supremacy.

Willis meticulously analyzes, exposes, illuminates, and interrogates incontrovertible historical evidence of the social, political, and legal efforts to deny equal literacy access. The chapters delve into an in-depth exploration of the evolution of White supremacy's role in impeding Black readers' progress, a critical examination of empirical research and underlying ideological assumptions that have limited literacy access, and a review of federal and state documents that restricted reading access for Black people. Throughout the text, Willis interweaves historical vignettes to counter the whitewashing of Black people's literacy history in the United States and offers recommendations for dismantling racist reading research and laws. By centering the narrative on the experiences of Black people in the United States, Willis shifts the conversation to focus not only on the historical impact of such laws and policies but also on their connections to present-day laws and policies.

This definitive history of instructional and legal structures provides a comprehensive understanding of the historical roots of anti-literacy practices and their ongoing implications. It serves as a crucial tool for educators, policymakers, and activists working to dismantle systemic barriers and promote inclusive literacy for all students, regardless of race or ethnicity. By challenging the dominant narratives and exposing the hidden histories of Black literacy, this book contributes to a more equitable and just society where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential.

Weight: 614g
Dimension: 158 x 234 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032282961