Abstract
Equal means getting the same thing, at the same time, and in the same place.” Thurgood Marshall
At the 70th anniversary of Brown v the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, we decided to commemorate this important decision with a special issue of GCT. Progress has been made for African American citizens since Brown in terms of economic, legal, political, and social rights; however, much work still remains to be accomplished in terms of increasing access to quality, advanced, and gifted education. For example, there is more racial segregation than in the late 1980s. More than one third of students attend a predominantly same-race/ethnicity school where 75 percent or more of the student population is of a single race/ethnicity (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2022). Moreover, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled against the use of race-conscious affirmative action at both public and private universities. Now more than ever, policy makers, opinion shapers, and community leaders must work together to make certain that every child receives the best education possible. This is a legacy that must be left for those who fought for civil rights and equal treatment under the law as well as for those who will follow.
This issue specifically examines the cultures of elite Black high schools prior to and during the implementation of Brown and the current cultures of HBCUs. What might we learn about these cultures that encouraged and continue to encourage high levels of achievement in and outside of the school setting? How might we replicate these characteristics in today’s schools?
The first article describes the culture of excellent Black high schools in the era of Jim Crow. Two of the authors, Rosemary A. Davis and Gwendolyn J. Horton, attended these elite schools. A third author, Dwan V. Robinson’s grandfather was president of a top-ranked HBCU—Jackson State University. These high schools produced students who overwhelmingly attended post-secondary institutions with the vast majority becoming managers and professionals (76.4%). These important characteristics of positive school cultures were examined: leadership, faculty, the curriculum and instruction, qualities of the student, the environments, and internal and external relationships. The authors concluded that along with a rigorous and challenging curriculum, “school leaders and educational professionals set the tone for an environment where there were high expectations and where students were immersed in African American cultural traditions.” This article is followed by personal reflections about the three principals who provided leadership over a span of 45 years to elaborate their personal characteristics. In his introduction, Dr. Bernard Watson described how they “respected and supported colleagues, and respected encouraged, and challenged students.”
The final article focuses on the cultures of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Using a scholarly personal narrative approach, Fred A. Bonner II and his co-authors describe their interactions and engagement with colleagues, family, friends, and work-related projects. Using Du Bois’s (1903) concept of “double consciousness” as a framework, each of these scholars addressed how the HBCU provided, and continues to provide, reconciliatory space and a home culture for Black populations to thrive.
We hope you enjoy this special issue of GCT and actively participate in ensuring access to equal and equitable opportunities for all students to participate in advanced and gifted education.