Routledge James Baldwin and the American Schoolhouse

This book – written for teacher educators, teachers and admirers of James Baldwin –employs his essays and speeches to discuss how the effects of race and racism enter the souls of African American students and become attached and difficult to dislodge. Yet, his essays also provide educators and students with purpose, meaning and suggestions for how to stand up against racism, develop an authentic self and fight oppression. Whereas this book takes advantage of the full body of Baldwin’s work – fiction, nonfiction, interviews, lectures, speeches and letters – its foundation is three speeches James Baldwin gave in the 1960s on the education of African American children and African American and European American race relations in the United States. The purpose of education, defying myths, freedom, willful ignorance and developing identity are discussed through a Baldwinian lens. African American and European American teachers are encouraged to "Go for Broke" as this book explores the important role Baldwin’s work can play in schools and universities. Review In James Baldwin and the American Schoolhouse, Carl Grant writes with fervor and conviction of an urgent need for teachers to be exposed to the writings of James Baldwin. Grant eloquently contends that Baldwin's work can influence educators to transform schooling, particularly in this moment of racial awakening. The analyses in James Baldwin and the American Schoolhouse make a convincing case for how all teachers can show that Black Lives Matter. -Brian D. Schultz, Professor and Chair of Teacher Education at Miami University and author of Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons from an Urban Classroom Professor Grant’s book, in which he develops a soliloquy story of James Baldwin’s self- identity discovery, thoughtful analytical writings, and passionate speeches, which dissected systemic racism is a must read for all teachers and teacher educators. Professor Grant has revealed through his thorough and intriguing research of Baldwin’s extensive papers and other artefacts that "knowledge is socially distributed, that what you know is what you have been allowed to know." What Professor Grant uncovers in his book for the reader is an enormous amount of written thoughts and ideas shared by Baldwin as he connected with teachers and students. Most significantly, unfortunately his ideas for combatting systemic racism in our schools, especially schools serving "Negro Students" have not received the distribution they deserved. Professor Grant’s extensive research, and collection of references and resources incorporated into this book demonstrates a superior scholarly resource for all of us engaged in combatting racism in the United States of America. My deep appreciation to Professor Grant for providing a book with such enlightening knowledge of Mr. James Baldwin. H. Prentice Baptiste, Regents Professor, Multicultural and Science Education Founder, President, National Association for Multicultural Education and Co-Editor of Visioning Multicultural Education James Baldwin and the American Schoolhouse demonstrates how Baldwin’s lessons are simultaneously timely and timeless – why we need Baldwin just as much in 2020 as we did in 1963 – why we need Baldwin just as much in the field of education as we do in Black Studies. With extreme care and consideration, Grant explores Baldwin’s writings and speeches, meticulously delineating Baldwin’s messages to teachers and students alike. Baldwin believed that teachers must recognize the ways white supremacy and anti-blackness necessitate the miseducation of Black students, and "go for broke" in their relentless charge to help students refuse and resist. While Grant effectively interrogates the myriad ways Baldwin calls attention to students’ racialized oppression, this book is even more powerful in its articulation of Baldwin’s desire for education to empower and inspire a revolution – the way his messag