African-Centered Education

“…African-centered scholars Kmt G. Shockley and Kofi Lomotey have assembled in African-Centered Education: Theory and Practice an impressive roster of contributors to levy fresh interrogations into the theoretical and practical underpinnings of contemporary African-centered education (ACE). The authors offer nuanced, grounded perspectives on the history, methods, successes, and challenges of ACE and situate it as a critical and viable educational imperative for Black children and communities… This critical text is a fresh reminder of what has been accomplished and the work yet remaining.” (Read the full review HERE.)

“The essays in this important volume reflect the rich and generative variousness of African-centered pedagogy. The diversity of methodologies and practices presented, while understandably not including all the variations in the corpus of Afrocentric educational initiatives, nevertheless delineate in useful and insightful ways some of its most essential contours and content. The authors’ varied modes of engagement and interpretations provide, not only ample ground for critical dialogue and debate about educational theory and practice from an African-centered vantage point, but also open and widen the way for further research in this vital area. These assets make African-Centered Education: Theory and Practice useful, not only as a reader, but also as a textbook for those seeking a critical and comprehensive treatment of the subject.”

Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair, Department of Africana Studies, California State University, Long Beach Senior Fellow, Molefi Kete Asante Institute

“The critical work of educating African children is layered. It is spiritual, intellectual, emotional, cultural and revolutionary. This book addresses each layer. It is revolutionary; providing children of African descent with an excellent education that teaches them that who they are and what they must commit to requires the complete change of the current educational system. It requires our very best work. Asante sana, thank you to the editors and the authors. My spirit has been fed!”

Aminata Umoja, Founder, Kilombo Academic and Cultural Institute in Decatur, Georgia, Creator, “The Culturally Relevant Classroom,” Umoja Education and Cultural Services, Consultant, Research for Better Teaching

“Excellence, insights, ideas, and inspiration abound in this volume! This is the book you’ve been waiting for whether you are a researcher or a builder, a frontline teacher or a student of education, one who wants to know the theory or one who wants the implementation blueprint. African-Centered Education teaches us with a flow and with connections that deepen our reading experience with this volume. Newbies and veterans alike will be fulfilled and inspired to begin, or continue, the work of educating the African community for liberation.”

Madge Gill Willis, Ph.D., Co-Founder & Director, Nsoromma School

“African-Centered Education: Theory and Practice continues the discourse on the protractive struggle to build and maintain an educational foundation that serves the needs of Black children. This book gives both historical analysis and practical theory on the critical components of curriculum, values and independence of African-centered pedagogy. This body of work is a tool for researchers, educators, and especially those aspiring to homeschool and seeking to adopt an African-centered model. At this critical time, African-Centered Education: Theory and Practice is the necessary guide into this new educational reality.”

Baye Kemit, Ed.M, Founder, The Garvey School/Egun Omode Shule (Trenton, NJ), National Facilitator of CIBI (Council of Independent Black Institutions)

“This is an essential work for those committed to creating, modeling and transmitting Liberatory teaching and learning in classrooms and communities. A core foundation of beliefs and values that are grounded in African cosmologies afford us to do more than just mimic our Ancestors. The practices and ways of being "teacher and learner, parent and community" become who we are. We are our Ancestors. This exemplary publication of African excellence affords the reader a comprehensive and holistic framework for study and practice.”
Ancestral Blessings

Itihari Toure, Ed.D., Sankofa Center for Data Evaluation and Quality Enhancement, Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

1. Afrocentric Instructional Practices: An Assessment
Ama Mazama

2. The Challenge of Developing Imhotep Into Imhotep: Ruminations From African-Centered Parents with Children in Non-African-Centered Schools
Kofi LeNiles and Amma LeNiles

3. Learning From African-Centered Pedagogical Excellence: Implications for Recruitment of African-Centered Teachers
Rona Frederick

4. The Roots Model: African-Centered Education
Bernida Thompson, Bodunrin O. Banwo, and Rasheki Kuykendall-Walker

5. From Critical Pedagogy to Revolutionary Pedagogy: Toward Transformative Practice
Molefi Kete Asante

6. An African-Centered Nation-Building Perspective of STEM Education for Black Youth
Sekou Afrika

7. The Biological Necessity of an African-Centered Social Support Initiative Within the African-Centered Education Paradigm
Samuel Burbanks

8. Notes on an Afrikan-Centered Pedagogy
Egun Nana Kwame Agyei Akoto

9. How Shall We Sing Our Sacred Song in a Strange Land—Revisited
Carol D. Lee

10. Elements and Outcomes of African-Centered Education for School Leaders and Teachers
Chike Akua

Afterword

Contributors

Index

Kmt G. Shockley

Kmt G. Shockley is Associate Professor in the Howard University School of Education. His research interests include transformative African-Centered Education and Educational Policy and Leadership. He is known for having been featured in the film Hidden Colors and for his film on the Maroons, which is entitled For Humanity: Culture Community & Maroonage.

Kofi Lomotey

For more than 40 years—as a scholar and as a practitioner—Kofi Lomotey has focused on the education of black people. At the higher education level, he has been a university professor, department chair, provost, president and chancellor. He has been a founder, teacher and administrator at three independent African-centered schools. Kofi’s research interests include urban schools, African American students in higher education, African American principals in elementary schools and independent African-centered schools. He has published several books, articles in professional journals and book chapters.