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| Booker T. Washington Courtesy: |
Blacks had always been interested in finding a better education for themselves, but during the Harlem Renaissance, thousands of African Americans from the South and West Indies where drawn to Harlem, New York, for better economic and educational opportunities. Some schools discriminated this race, while others allowed them fair and equal educational opportunities. This later enhanced the population which would act as a cultural movement (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
The following are some philosophies and institutions that influenced public education in New York. Although the schools in Harlem were open to black and white students, a lot of schools maintained an all black population, primarily because of the increase of black residents in Harlem. As the number of African Americans took advantage of free public education, schools quickly became overcrowded. Some principals did not allow blacks to enter their educational institutions, which led to racial slurs by teachers and other students (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
The philosophical controversy that engaged African American educational thought was the teachings of Booker T. Washington’s doctrine of education and W. E. B. Dubois' educational philosophy. Washington did not deprecate the study of history, mathematics, etc. but viewed these subjects as more impractical for the education of African Americans than anything else. He believed that African Americans should be trained to become farmers, mechanics, or domestic servants who would later provide many of the services and products that the white community needed. Washington’s doctrine and practices of education continued to influence education in the North and South well into the Harlem Renaissance (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
As stated above, W. E. B. Dubois opposed Washington's beliefs. He censured Washington’s views as too narrow, too economic in its objectives, too deprecatory to higher institutions of learning, and too conciliatory to the South’s virtual destruction of political and civil status of African Americans. DuBois encouraged an educational group for the African Americans called "The Talented Tenth”. Click on link below to view the the manuscript:
The following are some philosophies and institutions that influenced public education in New York. Although the schools in Harlem were open to black and white students, a lot of schools maintained an all black population, primarily because of the increase of black residents in Harlem. As the number of African Americans took advantage of free public education, schools quickly became overcrowded. Some principals did not allow blacks to enter their educational institutions, which led to racial slurs by teachers and other students (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
The philosophical controversy that engaged African American educational thought was the teachings of Booker T. Washington’s doctrine of education and W. E. B. Dubois' educational philosophy. Washington did not deprecate the study of history, mathematics, etc. but viewed these subjects as more impractical for the education of African Americans than anything else. He believed that African Americans should be trained to become farmers, mechanics, or domestic servants who would later provide many of the services and products that the white community needed. Washington’s doctrine and practices of education continued to influence education in the North and South well into the Harlem Renaissance (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
As stated above, W. E. B. Dubois opposed Washington's beliefs. He censured Washington’s views as too narrow, too economic in its objectives, too deprecatory to higher institutions of learning, and too conciliatory to the South’s virtual destruction of political and civil status of African Americans. DuBois encouraged an educational group for the African Americans called "The Talented Tenth”. Click on link below to view the the manuscript:
Talented Tenth Manuscript by W. E. B. Dubois
Courtesy: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~mbenneki/The%20Talented%20Tenth.pdf
Courtesy: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~mbenneki/The%20Talented%20Tenth.pdf
The point of this group was to improve race relations in a time of extreme nationwide backlash following WWI by using a small number of well-educated professionals to lead the way. This act would later jump start the new Negro Movement (Harlem Renaissance) through organizations such as the American Negro Academy and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Access to books was critical to African American education, but the South lagged far behind the rest of the nation to provide African Americans the use of library facilities and resources. Between 1900 and 1910, some public libraries in the South began to extend services to African Americans through restricted services or the establishment of black branches (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
---Nicholas P.
**********Access to books was critical to African American education, but the South lagged far behind the rest of the nation to provide African Americans the use of library facilities and resources. Between 1900 and 1910, some public libraries in the South began to extend services to African Americans through restricted services or the establishment of black branches (HR Multimedia, n.d.).
---Nicholas P.
Harlem Resource Multimedia. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.jcu.edu/harlem/education/page_1.htm
