“Our Children’s Children Live Forever”: The Educational Activism of The Sawyer-Flowers-Wilson Family in America From 1866 To 1986

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Thomas, C. (2017). “Our Children’s Children Live Forever”: The Educational Activism of The Sawyer-Flowers-Wilson Family in America From 1866 To 1986. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Since slavery, Southern states prohibited the education of Black Americans. Post-emancipation, the first actions of these newly emancipated Black men and women involved the opening of informal and formal schools. The self-determination of Black Americans fueled their desire for an education. Despite major advancements in Black education, white opposition continued to hinder the education of Black children and adults through racial violence, segregation, and limited to no funding for Black schools. In response to these injustices, Black educational activists determined to acquire an equal education for their people’s children. They utilized education as a "weapon of the weak", or a tool of resistance against white opposition. For one Black American family, the Sawyer-Flowers-Wilson family, educational activists emerged across three generations of their history from Reconstruction to the late twentieth century building Black schools, detesting school boards and their support of segregation, and adapting early childhood education curricula to the needs of Black children. The biographies of grandfather Joseph J. Sawyer, granddaughter Rachel H. Flowers, and great-granddaughter Geraldine L. Wilson, each displayed their familial commitment to Black education.

Details
Author

Thomas, Christina

Title

“Our Children’s Children Live Forever”: The Educational Activism of The Sawyer-Flowers-Wilson Family in America From 1866 To 1986

Physical Description

1 online resource (185 pages) : PDF

Date

2017

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Since slavery, Southern states prohibited the education of Black Americans. Post-emancipation, the first actions of these newly emancipated Black men and women involved the opening of informal and formal schools. The self-determination of Black Americans fueled their desire for an education. Despite major advancements in Black education, white opposition continued to hinder the education of Black children and adults through racial violence, segregation, and limited to no funding for Black schools. In response to these injustices, Black educational activists determined to acquire an equal education for their people’s children. They utilized education as a "weapon of the weak", or a tool of resistance against white opposition. For one Black American family, the Sawyer-Flowers-Wilson family, educational activists emerged across three generations of their history from Reconstruction to the late twentieth century building Black schools, detesting school boards and their support of segregation, and adapting early childhood education curricula to the needs of Black children. The biographies of grandfather Joseph J. Sawyer, granddaughter Rachel H. Flowers, and great-granddaughter Geraldine L. Wilson, each displayed their familial commitment to Black education.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Education
History
African Americans--Study and teaching
Ethnicity--Study and teaching

Degree

M.A.

Keywords

African American History
Educational Activism
Family History
Resistance

Subject Area

History

Advisor(s)

Ramsey, Sonya

Committee Members

Hicks, Cheryl
Mixon, Gregory

Degree Note

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2017.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Thomas_uncc_0694N_11425

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1465