Valued Segregated Schools for African American Children in the South, 1935-1969: A Review of Common Themes and Characteristics

For the last two decades, the published research on the history of education of African Americans in the south during the era of de jure segregation has shifted from a focus on the inequalities experienced by segregated schools to understanding the kind of education African American teachers, principals, and parents attempted to provide under externally restrictive circumstances. This review provides a synthesis of this line of research. Results indicate that exemplar), teachers, the curriculum and extracurricular activities, parental involvement, and the leadership of school principals were critical characteristics influencing the communities' perceptions of the schools. Additional research is needed that will explore student outcomes, variance within the characteristics, and external influences.