University of Missouri, St. Louis IRL @ UMSL Dissertations UMSL Graduate Works 8-3-2013 THE BLACK FLAME TRILOGY, MULTIGENERATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TRAUMA, AND THE DEHUMANIZATION OF BLACK STUDENTS June Cara Christian University of Missouri-St. Louis, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Christian, June Cara, "THE BLACK FLAME TRILOGY, MULTIGENERATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TRAUMA, AND THE DEHUMANIZATION OF BLACK STUDENTS" (2013). Dissertations. 291. https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/291 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the UMSL Graduate Works at IRL @ UMSL. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of IRL @ UMSL. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE BLACK FLAME TRILOGY, MULTIGENERATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TRAUMA, AND THE DEHUMANIZATION OF BLACK STUDENTS BY JUNE CARA CHRISTIAN B.A., Washington University in St. Louis, 1999 M.A., Tennessee State University, 2002 M.A.Ed., Washington University in St. Louis, 2008 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the Graduate School of the University of Missouri – St. Louis, 2011 Advisory Committee Matthew D. Davis, Ph.D. Chairperson Lynn Beckwith, Ed.D. Carl Hoagland, Ph.D. Billie Mayo, Ed.D. Copyright, June Cara Christian, 2011 ABSTRACT This study identifies W.E.B. Du Bois’ theory of education as put forth in his Black Flame trilogy (BFT). A longitudinal survey of culture and society—specifically educational disparities in the United States from 1863 through 1956, the BFT bears close textual analysis to reveal how the processes of racialization and colonization as well as the movement toward globalization influence education and its contribution to the dehumanization of students. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome and critical race theory are theoretical tools of analysis that create a multi-generational dialectic that understands Du Bois’ BFT as a socio-historical analysis of White supremacy that establishes a theory of dehumanization in education. African critical theory (ACT) provides the frame that privileges the words of the elders and people sharing a common response to the dominant narrative surrounding Black students, the achievement gap, and the myth of Black inferiority. Using Du Bois’ voice throughout the analysis creates a dialectic counter-story to understand and identify existing symptoms of dehumanization, particularly in education so that we may finally seek remedy and redress. iii DEDICATION To the most honorable person I know, my mother, Cleter Rogers Christian. You have instilled in me the want and will to do for others, selflessly, without recognition. There are no words that can express my love and appreciation for you. The gift of your love and your example prove, for me, the purest existence of God’s abiding and unconditional love. To my father, Johnnie Christian, your life is the greatest testament of strength and perseverance of the human spirit. To my sister, Jon Carita, our friendship inspires me to be a better, gentler person. Your perspective continues to help me grow as a person and an intellectual. To my aunts and uncles, thank you for your support and examples of excellence. And, to the memories of my grandparents, Zelma and Robbie Rogers. “Get your learning—can’t nobody can take that away from you.” iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would not have been able to complete this dissertation without the guidance of committee members and the love and support of friends and family. I would like to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Matthew Davis, for his excellent guidance, caring, patience, persistence, and belief in my research and ability. Without his unwavering support and patience, I would not have centered my research on the Black Flame trilogy or honed my research. I would like to thank Dr. Billie Mayo for her continued belief in me as well as my research. Special thanks goes to Dr. Lynn Beckwith, Jr. and Dr. Carl Hoagland, who were willing to participate on my committee—guiding and challenging my research to create the best document possible. I would like to thank Vanessa Barbour for her counsel and honest reflection. I would like to express my abiding gratitude to Janiese Middlebrooks for her spirited encouragement and friendship throughout my graduate study. I would like to thank my parents and my elder sister for their love and support. There is no possible way I could have completed this project without their encouragement and confidence in me. Finally, I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Rogers, Dr. DeGruy, and Dr. Rabaka, their examples and words of encouragement stayed with me during the writing process. v Table of Contents ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ x Chapter One: An Introduction Education, Dehumanization, Multigenerational Trauma and the Black Flame Trilogy ................................................................................. 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Race, Schooling, and Education ......................................................................................... 3 Toward a Theory of Dehumanization in Education ............................................................ 9 The Myth of Black Inferiority ..................................................................................... 11 W. E. B. Du Bois and the Black Flame Trilogy ......................................................... 14 Critical Race Theory Counter-Storytelling and the Black Flame Trilogy .................. 18 Definitions ................................................................................................................... 21 Delimitations ............................................................................................................... 25 Chapter Two: Africana Philosophy of Education and Lynching in the Classroom ......... 26 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 26 African American Philosophy of Education ............................................................... 26 Lynching in the Schoolroom—The Context of Black Education ............................... 30 Chapter Three: Method .................................................................................................... 35 vi Rationale ........................................................................................................................... 35 Critical Orientation ..................................................................................................... 37 Africana Critical Theory ............................................................................................. 38 Identifying Trauma ..................................................................................................... 41 Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 42 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 50 Analyzing the Origins of Trauma ............................................................................... 51 Critical Race Theory Analysis of The Black Flame ................................................... 55 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 56 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 57 Chapter 4: Understanding The Ordeal ............................................................................. 59 “At Home, 31 Grace Court, Brooklyn” ............................................................................ 59 The World Inherited .......................................................................................................... 62 The World Encountered .................................................................................................... 67 The World Impacted ......................................................................................................... 70 Racialization ..................................................................................................................... 77 Racialization and Education ....................................................................................... 80 The Psychic Detriment of Racialization ..................................................................... 84 The Material Detriment of Racialization .................................................................... 94 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 97 Chapter 5: