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Abstract

Not only in the culture and organization of Western schools is European hegemony emphasized, classroom materials provide a substantial place for the creation and perpetuation of racist ideology. Often overlooked in critiques of classroom materials are texts that pertain to what are sometimes called enrichment subject materials, such as art and music. Examined in this review is the representation of those of African ancestry in grade school music materials. After surveying nearly 70 years of songbooks from one publisher’s series, it is determined that they are saturated with racist stereotypes and that such representations likely negatively impact children as they read and sing.

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Singing off Key

Abstract

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References