Abstract
AAbstract: Amidst the growing outrage of police brutality, white privilege, and racial economic, health, and educational disparities in the United States, social justice education is more relevant than ever. This article provides educators with an overview of how a humanist and counter narrative curriculum bridges the racial reality gap and provides greater capacity to not only discuss this nation’s racialized history but to also constructively address contemporary issues. The curriculum focuses on the life’s work of six white historical humanists who worked in concert with Black or Native American activists at a time in history when these relationships seemed most unlikely—the early 1800s. Findings from a foundational study conducted with seventy-nine undergraduate and post baccalaureate students demonstrates the significance and impact of this curriculum in which the majority of these students’ perceptions shifted, even after only a one hour workshop in which they learned about these cross racial relationships. White students expressed positive gains from learning about white people who served as allies to people of color as they a) identified with the humanists and b) expressed the desire to learn from these white abolitionists as how they could potentially become agents of change today. Another finding from this study indicated that students of color felt encouraged that white people could be trusted to work with them on racial justice issues. Curriculum infused with models of desirable behaviors as modeled by humanists offers educators the opportunity to facilitate student growth, identify development, and promote capacity to use their privilege to benefit the well-being of all people. bstract: Amidst the
gro
ng
outrage
of police brutality, white privilege,
and
racial economic, health,
and
educational
disparities in the United States, social justice education is more relevant
than
ever. This article provides
educators
with
an
overview
of how
a
humanist
and
counter narrative curriculum
es e
racial
reality
gap
and
provides greater
capacity to
not
only
but
to also constructively
address
contemporary
issues.
The
curriculum focuses
on
the life’s
work
of six white historical
humanists
who
worked in concert with Black
or Native
American activists
at a time in history when these relationships seemed
most
unlikely—the early
1800s.
Findings
from a
foundational
study
conducted with seventy-
nine
undergraduate
and
post
baccalaureate students demonstrates the
significance
and
impact
of this curriculum in which the majority
of these students
’ perceptions shifted, even after
only
a
one
hour
workshop
in which they learned
about
these
cross
racial
relationships.
White students expressed positive
gains
from learning
about
white people
who
served
as allies to
people
of color
as they
a) identified with the humanists
and
b) expressed the desire to learn from these white abolitionists
as how
they could potentially become
agents
of
change
today. Another finding from
this
s
tudy
indicated
that
students
of color
felt encouraged
that
white people could
be trusted to
work
with them
on
racial justice
issues.
Curriculum infused with models
of desirable
behaviors
as modeled
by humanists
offers
educators
the
opportunity
to facilitate
student
growth,
identify development,
and
promote
capacity
to
use
their privilege to benefit the well-being
of all people.
: Amidst the
growi
ng
outrage
of police brutality, white privilege,
and
racial economic, health,
and
educational
disparities in the United States, social justice education is more relevant
than
ever. This article provides
educators
with
an
overview
of how
a
humanist
and
counter narrative curriculum
es the
racial
reality
gap
and
provides greater
capacity to
not
only
to also constructively
address
contemporary
issues.
The
curriculum focuses
on
the life’s
work
of six white historical
humanists
who
worked in concert with Black
or Native
American activists
at a time in history when these relationships seemed
most
unlikely—the early
1800s.
Findings
from a
foundational
study
conducted with seventy-
nine
undergraduate
and
post
baccalaureate students demonstrates the
significance
and
impact
of this curriculum in which the majority
of these students
’ perceptions shifted, even after
only
a
one
hour
workshop
in which they learned
about
these
cross
racial
relationships.
White students expressed positive
gains
from learning
about
white people
who
served
as allies to
people
of color
as they
a) identified with the humanists
and
b) expressed the desire to learn from these white abolitionists
as how
they could potentially become
agents
of
change
today. Another finding from
this
s
tudy
indicated
that
students
of color
felt encouraged
that
white people could
be trusted to
work
with them
on
racial justice
issues.
Curriculum infused with models
of desirable
behaviors
as modeled
by humanists
offers
educators
the
opportunity
to facilitate
student
growth,
identify development,
and
promote
capacity
to
use
their privilege to benefit the well-being
of all people.