Stepping outside the Master Script: Re-Connecting the History of American Education

Overview & Synopsis

Inaccurate and incomplete presentations of American education history in teacher education programs play a central role in the poor preparation of pre-service teachers. This article exemplifies how the praxis of late 19th and 20th century African descent educators--who viewed education as a vehicle for freedom and an affirmation of humanity--informed the democratic agenda claimed by their White counterparts. This informing praxis has been hidden in master scripted accounts of the history of American education through a White/normative belief structure of race, which has created a disconnection between emancipatory African descent educators and White reform-minded educators to this day.