The Mis-Education of the Negro

Book — Non-fiction. By Carter G. Woodson, with an introduction by Jarvis Givens. 2023. 224 pages.
Originally released in 1933, The Mis-Education of the Negro continues to resonate today, raising questions about the legacy of slavery and enduring white supremacy.

Time Periods: 19th Century, 20th Century

Themes: African American, Education, Slavery and Resistance

Originally released in 1933, The Mis-Education of the Negro by Dr. Carter G. Woodson continues to resonate well into the 21st century. Woodson explores the effects of slavery on the Black psyche and raises questions about the U.S. education system, such as what and who African Americans are educated for, the difference between education and training, and which of these African Americans are receiving.

Woodson explains,

When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his “proper place” and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.

Woodson provides solutions to these challenges, solutions that require more study, discipline, and, he argues, an Afrocentric worldview. This latest edition features an introduction by Jarvis Givens.

ISBN: 9780143137467 | Penguin Group