Summary Multicultural Education in the United States made its debut beginning with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s. Its intent was to become part of the cultural mainstream. The Civil Rights Movement brought to light the apparent concerns of discrimination, intimidation and inequality. During this period, pressure was placed on the Federal Government to examine their roles in the perseverance of inequalities when it came to Multicultural Education (Russell, Robert, The History of Multicultural Education, 2011). It can be compared to “Affirmative Action” where whites were asked to leave behind their own point of view and gain knowledge of the traditions of Multicultural groups (Taylor, Samuel. The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism' In How Americans View the Past and the Future, 2011). Analysis W.E.B. DuBois (1868 – 1963), a Civil Rights activist began to confront the popular point of view and stereotypes of African-Americans (Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library, 2011). Discouraging images became a part of the accepted society, but were also implanted in the educational and scientific institutions of the United States. The initial founders of ethnic studies set out to discredit bogus theories and propaganda about African-Americans. The civil rights movement challenged the political and cultural authority of white America and confronted educational institutions that discriminated and demoralized African-Americans because of their race. As warriors of this cause, they were adamant about institutional equality, the end of discriminatory practices, and curriculum reform. The civil rights movement was very successful in demanding the Federal Government to change their outlook on education for African-Americans... ... middle of paper ... ...ralism' In How Americans View the Past and the Future, 2011). Children from pre-school through college now have a better understanding of their non-American, non-white fellow students. Works Cited Taylor, Samuel. “The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism' In How Americans View the Past and the Future” The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165 Russell, Robert. "The History of Multicultural Education | eHow.com." eHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | eHow.com( 2011) http://www.ehow.com/about_6293353_history-multicultural-education.html "Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library." Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library (2011). http://crdl.usg.edu/export/html/fbi/foia/crdl_fbi_foia_dubois.html?Welcome "Information about NOW." National Organization for Women (NOW). (2011) http://www.now.org/organization
Takaki, R. T. (1993). A different mirror: A history of multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Takaki, Ronald T. "14 World War II." A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown, 1993. N. pag. Print.
The Civil Rights and Black Power movement had a profound affect on the United States and is largely credited with the level of equality today. Each movement projected emotion, dedication, and bravery, which inspired their group to better its place within the infrastructure of the American dream. The civil rights movement is considered the more effective of the two movements, but because black power was so intense and progressive civil rights is perceived positively. Nevertheless, both movements incited a dramatic political upheaval in the US and abroad successfully promoting positive change in public and politics domains.
Although the conclusion of the Civil War during the mid-1860s demolished the official practice of slavery, the oppression and exploitation of African Americans has continued. Although the rights and opportunities of African Americans were greatly improved during Reconstruction, cases such a 1896’s Plessy v. Ferguson, which served as the legal basis for segregation, continue to diminish the recognized humanity of African Americans as equal people. Furthermore, the practice of the sharecropping system impoverished unemployed African Americans, recreating slavery. As economic and social conditions worsened, the civil rights movement began to emerge as the oppressed responded to their conditions, searching for equality and protected citizenship.With such goals in mind, associations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which came to the legal defense of African Americans and aided the march for civil rights reforms, emerged. By working against the laws restricting African Americans, the NAACP saw progress with the winning of cases like Brown v. Board of Education, which allowed the integration of public schools after its passing in 1954 and 1955. In the years following the reform instituted by the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, the fervor of the civil rights movement increased; mass nonviolent protests against the unfair treatment of blacks became more frequent. New leaders, such as Martin Luther King, manifested themselves. The civil rights activists thus found themselves searching for the “noble dream” unconsciously conceived by the democratic ideals of the Founding Fathers to be instilled.
These questions, and many more, have long been a part of the agenda for multicultural education but are recently coming more clearly into focus. Most of the work and studies in race relations and teaching in a multicultural environment in the U.S. have put an emphasis on the unique cultural experiences and perspectives of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American groups. These are the groups that have historically been marginalized in various ways by the repeated asserted dominance by American people of European backgrounds. As the populations of the U.S. changes to take in even larger numbers of those groups...
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1993. Print.
If we are to successfully educate all students in a multicultural society, we must continue to address the issues that are hindering our children from exposing their full potential. Banks (1993) stated, “Thus, early exposure to a multicultural curriculum has the most likelihood of success” (as cited in Christie, 2009).
Takaki, Ronald. "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America." 1993. Border Texts: Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1999. 589-596.
The United States has a history of being viewed as a superior culture in which weaker cultures must adapt. However, this attitude has been cause of repression and conflict among the different cultures. As a result, activists have worked for years pushing to empower cultures; thus, encouraging unity rather than cultural divide for the strength of our nation as a whole. According to John Ogbu (1978), every "minority" group has a unique history in the United States that needs to be studied, understood, and validated to more authentically understand, support, and educate them. Education experts have responded to the overall push for this unification by developing an interdisciplinary approach in the development of multicultural education.
Gollnick, D. M., & Chinn, P. C. (2009). Multicultural education in apluralistic society. Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall.
Multicultural Education The inclusion of multiculturalism into schools has become an increasingly hot topic as of late. Being a future teacher, I have taken a natural interest in the topic as well. It seems that most of the push to incorporate the multicultural issue into the school system has been a reaction to the thought that the American “melting-pot” metaphor is on the decline. Knowing that the demographics of the United States are changing continuously, the main issue about the inclusion of multiculturalism is not whether to place it into the schools, but rather how to position this controversial topic into the curriculum.
...ners they continued to fight. As more and more African American students were admitted into white Southern schools, segregationist continued to retaliate and defend their schools against them. No matter how difficult the situation turned out for some of them, and without much help from the government, African Americans did everything they possibly could to protect their educational rights for the sake of their future and success, and in the hope of promoting equality for all African American people of the United States. These students became the symbol of freedom and opened up the window of opportunity for all black people, for their ancestors, and for the future generations to come.
Ryan, Francis J. "The Perils of Multiculturalism: Schooling for the Group" Educational Horizons 7 Spring 1993:134-8
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1989.
The perception of multicultural education in the United States has certainly evolved over the preceding decades. As a corollary of the social activism and desegregation movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the emergence of ethnic studies within public education systems came about as a sincere recognition that all students should – and must – learn to participate in a diverse world (Trent, 2012). While all governments expect and sometimes require a minimal level of civil responsibility and participation from their citizens, it is impossible to overstate the importance of freedom of association, religion, speech, and political organization for protecting group difference. However, parallel to various sociopolitical disturbances that have increasingly