Literatures and Definitions: Toward Understanding Africentric Education

Journal of Negro Education, The, Spring 2007 by Shockley, Kmt G

This article explicates the literature on cultural reattachment Africentric education. Cultural reattachment is a process whereby people of African descent begin to adopt (in whole or in part) aspects of an African culture (e.g., Wolof or Akan). Africentric education is defined as the adoption of Africentric ideology and cultural relevancy. Proponents of cultural reattachment Africentric education advance important "cultural imperatives" for Black children and communities. Those imperatives are defined in this article. Teachers who are familiar with the cultural imperatives are armed with the necessary tools that they can use to better serve Black children.

The inability of the American educational system to properly address the cultural and educational needs of Blacks is one of the most perplexing problems in U.S. society (Hilliard, 1997; Hopkins, 1997). Blacks and other cultural groups (such as, first-language Spanish speakers) comprise a sizeable proportion of the population in urban school districts, yet some scholars posit that the educational system remains solely majority- (White-) interested (Asante, 1991; Hale-Benson, 1982; Kunjufu, 2001; Wilson, 1993). For example, between 1986 and 2003, the population of Black, Spanish-speaking and Asian cultural groups in elementary and secondary schools grew from 29.7% to 39.5% (NCES, 2004). While the number of Black students in public schools continues to increase, Blacks face the mitigating problems of disproportionate interface with the criminal justice system (Kunjufu, 1995), unorganized/disenfranchised communities (Anderson, 2001a), and major socio-educational problems, such as, a mismatch between Black culture and the culture of schools (Lomotey, 1992).

An example of what happens as a result of the cultural mismatch is evidenced in research indicating that Black students continue to linger behind their White counterparts (NCES, 2004). Lomotey (1992) explains that,

... the academic achievement of a large number of Black children across the country-as measured by standardized achievement tests, suspension rates, special education placement rates, and dropout rates has deteriorated considerably over the last twenty years, (p. 455)

According to some scholars, the problem of the mismatch between Black cultures and the culture "offered" and to be adhered to in schools is cause for complete socio-educational change for Black children and communities. Africentric educators believe that cultural mismatch is the significant problem for Black students (Akoto, 1992, 1999; Hilliard, 1997; Lee, 1992; Madhubuti, 1973; MurreII, 2002); however, mainstream education leaders continue to focus on symptoms, such as mainstream notions of academic achievement gaps (see Haycock & Jerald, 2001; Lee, 2002; Williams, 2003).

In recent years researchers have shown that the American public has become increasingly dissatisfied with the state of public education (Johnson & Immerwahr, 1994). Scholars have documented the continued failure of public education to change conditions that have deep history for Black people (Anderson, 1988; Asante, 1991; Kunjufu, 1995; Murrell, 2002). Those researchers report that today many Blacks maintain their historical place at the bottom of educational and social tiers (such as disproportionate imprisonment rates and economic disparities). A growing number of scholars studying this phenomenon now argue that there is a need for Africentric (or African-centered) education (Akoto, 1992, 1999; Asante, 1980, 1999; Hilliard, 1997; Lee, 1992; Lomotey, 1978, 1992; Murrell, 2002; Ratteray, 1990; Ratteray & Shujaa, 1987; Ridley, 1971). The aforementioned scholars base their argument on a belief that Black children will only be able to produce and compete on the new global world stage if their education is revolutionarily re-conceptualized. Anderson (2001a) argued that the education that Blacks receive is not uplifting them; instead it is keeping them in the position of world consumer for the purpose of maintaining the current social order. Many scholars view Africentric education as a comprehensive solution to the miseducation of Blacks (Afrik, 1981; Akoto, 1992; Anderson, 2001b; Asante, 1980, 1990, 1998; Brookins, 1984; Doughty, 1973; Hale-Benson, 1982; Hilliard, 1997; Kunjufu, 1995; Madhubuti, 1973, 1992; Lomotey, 1978, 1992; Ridley, 1971; Satterwhite, 1971).

Africentric education is the act of placing the needs of Black children at the center of their education. Rather than teach Black children what Africentrics view as unneeded facts and unusable information (e.g., un-centered perspectives on historical events which may confuse Black children), Africentric education attempts to equip Black children with self-knowledge for the purpose of instilling in them a sense of agency for the purpose of nation-building. In other words, Black children are taught about their responsibility to reproduce and family build.

While Africentric education is seen as a "politically charged" endeavor, it is actually no different than what most other groups do to educate their children. For example, Catholics engage students in Catholic-centered education by purporting the primacy of Catholicism; Jewish-centered schools teach students that they should participate in the larger society, but they should pledge primary allegiance to Jewish needs and causes. Hilliard (1997) reported similar activity among Asians and Latinos. African-centered education is similar, only instead of imbuing senses of Catholic, Jewish, Asian or Latino allegiance; it instills a sense of African allegiance. Unfortunately, Africentrics have been largely unsuccessful at trying to convince the public, including some Blacks, that Africentric education is a critical imperative for Blacks in the United States and around the globe.