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If You Can't Find Me in the School Room: Oral Histories of African American Educators and Students During the Albany Movement

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If You Can't Find Me in the School Room: Oral Histories of African American Educators and Students During the Albany Movement Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Fall 2011 If You Can't Find Me in the School Room: Oral Histories of African American Educators and Students During the Albany Movement Maqueta N. Griswold Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Recommended Citation Griswold, Maqueta N., "If You Can't Find Me in the School Room: Oral Histories of African American Educators and Students During the Albany Movement" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 535. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/535 This dissertation (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. IF YOU CAN‘T FIND ME IN THE SCHOOL ROOM: ORAL HISTORIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS DURING THE ALBANY MOVEMENT by MAQUETA N. GRISWOLD (Under the Direction of Ming Fang He) ABSTRACT This is an inquiry into oral histories of four African American educators and students who experienced the Albany Movement which began on November 17, 1961. Mary Royal Jenkins, Rosa McGhee, Beverly Plummer Wilson and Ruby Nell Singleton Stroble were participants for my study. Theoretically drawing upon the work of Derrick Bell (1992), Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic (2001), Gloria Ladson-Billings (2003), Gloria Ladson-Billings and William F. Tate (2005) on critical race theory and methodologically upon the work of Cynthia Stokes Brown (1988), Kate Cavett (2005), David K. Dunaway and Willa K. Baum (1996), Vincent Harding (1981), and Elaine Latzman Moon (1994) on oral history, I explored oral histories of the African American women educators and students who experienced segregation, integration, and educational change during the Albany Movement. I reflected upon my experience as a student who integrated into the Dougherty County School System, as an African American educator, and as an administrator in a predominantly African American school. I weave freedom songs, an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement, throughout my dissertation with the intent to connect oral histories of the movement with its unfaltering and courageous spirit which made the movement protestors keep their eyes on the prize. 1 I have recognized that a sense of belonging and recognition of community spirit are key to the education and liberation of African Americans. I hope we will learn from the experience of my participants during the Albany Movement. I hope that educators and students build allies with parents, administrators, and other educational workers to organize freedom movements to battle against all forms of oppression, suppression, and repression. Teachers and educators continue to work to find ways to create hopes and dreams for students to reach their ―highest potential‖ (Vanessa Siddle-Walker, 1996) instead of disciplining their bodies and imprisoning their minds. I call for a curriculum of caring and justice, that was lost during the process of integration, and that, I believe, helps motivate, organize, and liberate all students to become active participants and positive changing agents in cultivating a better and just human condition for all in a contested world. Index words: Critical Race Theory, African Americans, Education, desegregation, Integration, Segregation, Oral History, Narrative Inquiry, Determination, Music, Civil Rights, Cultural Communities 2 IF YOU CAN‘T FIND ME IN THE SCHOOL ROOM: ORAL HISTORIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS DURING THE ALBANY MOVEMENT by MAQUETA N. GRISWOLD B.A. Albany State University, 1993 M.Ed. Georgia Southwestern State University, 1996 Ed.S. Albany State University, 2001 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION STATESBORO, GEORGIA 2010 3 © 2010 MAQUETA N. GRISWOLD All Rights Reserved 4 IF YOU CAN‘T FIND ME IN THE SCHOOL ROOM: ORAL HISTORIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS DURING THE ALBANY MOVEMENT by MAQUETA N. GRISWOLD Major Professor: Ming Fang He Committee: Mecca Williams-Johnson John Weaver Wynnetta Scott-Simmons Electronic Version Approved December 2010 5 DEDICATION Without GOD none of this would be possible. At this precise moment in time, I am where GOD meant for me to be. Each individual who has shared this journey with me is precisely where GOD meant for them to be. For some unknown reason GOD brought us together and because of our current place on this journey, I will forever be grateful. Without each of you, this road would have never been traveled. For your guidance and support, I dedicate this work to each of you. Civil Rights Activists/Participants – This work is dedicated to you for traveling a road that has impacted not only my life, but the lives of all individuals who believe in equality for everyone. Without your commitment to the Civil Rights Movement, I would not be where I am today. Perhaps I would not have had the opportunity to attend Georgia Southern University and produce a document that allowed your stories to be shared with others. This road was traveled because of your dedication and to you I dedicate this work. Emmett L. Griswold, III – You have been my rock since you entered into my life. You simply took my hand and never let go. Throughout this journey you have been there, loving me, supporting me and guiding me. To you, I will forever be grateful. Allison and Jayson Griswold - My angels… my world, this road was traveled because of you. Always believe that there is nothing that you cannot achieve if you put your mind to it. You were my constant encouragers, always saying, ―Mama, you said you would be finished before I reached middle school and Jayson reached the third grade‖! Thank you for your constant encouragement and love. Jesse and Gloria W. Peters- My wonderful parents, you have allowed me to become the person that I am today. Your prayers, your guidance and your strength have carried me 6 when I couldn‘t carry myself. Thank you for being my strength and allowing me to determine my own directions on this road. Natasha Griffin and Josette Bynum – To my sisters who listened to curriculum book talk and pretended to understand what I was talking about, I appreciate your ears. Deep down inside, I believe that some where the information we shared helped you to make decisions about the education of my nieces and nephews. Annie Lois Whiters- My grandmother, your stories about our history never cease to intrigue me. Your stories gave me the strength to write, you were my inspiration. Emmett and Josephine Griswold- My wonderful in-laws, first and foremost I thank you for giving me the most precious gift a parent can give anyone, your son. You both have truly been a blessing to me. You have been supportive in everything that we have decided as a family to do to make our lives better for ourselves and our children. Thank you for being the wonderful people who you are. Nicie Johnson- My great grandmother, although you were unable to see my travel along this road to the end, I know in my heart that your spirit is always with me. Joe Nathan Sanders- My father, our travels together have been up and down on this bumpy road, but in the end we came together and I know that you are in heaven smiling down on me saying, ―You go girl‖. To my other family members and friends who have support me, guided me and gave me words of encouragement along the way, thank you, without you none of this would have been possible. Together you were the signs along the road that allowed me to make this journey. I don‘t know what my next journey in life will be, but I pray that each and every one of you will once again travel the road with me. 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I cannot put into words the gratitude that I would like to express to Dr. He for her undying support in helping me to achieve a goal that I never dreamed possible. You are truly an asset to world of Curriculum Studies. Your knowledge about the field is immeasurable. You have opened my eyes to issues that never crossed my mind until I entered Georgia Southern University. I appreciate you for allowing me to study an issue that has not only been beneficial to me, but to my culture. I am forever grateful to you for being the incredible individual who you are and for being bold and allowing your students to confront issues that will forever change our view of society. I would like to thank my committee members Dr. Mecca Williams-Johnson, Dr. Wynnetta Scott-Simmons, and Dr. John Weaver for your encouraging words and recommendations concerning this body of work. The knowledge that you presented to me, encouraged me to think beyond what I believed to be possible. Your insight into the field of curriculum studies and methodology helped me to expand my knowledge and grow as an individual. You are truly an asset to Georgia Southern University and its student body. To each of you I would like to say thank you. To Mary Royal Jenkins, Rosa McGhee, Beverly Plummer Wilson, and Ruby Nell Singleton Stroble without your voices this would not have been possible. The Albany Movement would not have been possible without your strength. Your willingness to fight for equality for all, by putting your lives on the line and marching on to freedom‘s land provided us with opportunities that we never would have had.
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