#142. The South's Long War on Black Literacy

Derek W. Black is a Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina, where he directs the Constitutional Law Center. He is one of the nation’s foremost experts in education law and policy, on such topics as school funding and ensuring equal opportunities for disadvantaged students. His research is often cited in court opinions and briefs, including in the U.S. Supreme Court. He has served as an expert witness and consultant in school funding, voucher, and federal policy litigation. His essays have appeared in major newspapers, and he has been frequent guest on national, regional, and local radio and television programs. He is the author of Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy, which warns of educational trends that retreat from foundational commitments to democracy and public education. His new book, Dangerous Learning: The South’s Long War on Black Literacy, which is the subject of today’s interview, documents the South’s repression of black education and freedom literature before and after the Civil War, providing historical context for the hostility often faced by public school teachers, curricula, and libraries.

Recorded 1/21/24.