Black is Beauty: Jamaican Teachers Fostering Pro-Blackness in Elementary Education

Jarvais J. Jackson, Kadesha Scharschmidt, Heidi Miller-Smith, Addaniekie Blackwood-Smith, Vanessa Stultz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

“Black is beauty” is a powerful affirmation in Jamaican families, emphasizing the value of Blackness beyond race. Similarly, “Black is Beautiful” empowers Black Americans. This article explores the beauty of Blackness from a Jamaican perspective in the U.S., demonstrating pro-Black pedagogy in classrooms to uplift Black students. Despite the global dispersion of Black people, our Africanness, rooted in Mother Africa, remains influential. This article examines the pro-Black journeys of four Jamaican teachers and a teacher educator, enhancing Black students' educational experiences in an urban southern U.S. city and showcasing the interconnectedness of Blackness.

Original languageEnglish
JournalReading Teacher
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2024

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Pharmacology
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Pharmacology (medical)

Keywords

  • African Diaspora Literacy
  • Black education
  • culturally relevant pedagogy
  • instructional strategies
  • methods and materials
  • pro-Black education

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