Critical Perspectives on Black Education

Spirituality, Religion and Social Justice

Edited by:
Noelle Witherspoon-Arnold, University of Missouri-Columbia
Melanie C. Brooks, Edith Cowan University
Bruce Makoto Arnold, Louisiana State University

A volume in the series: New Directions in Educational Leadership: Innovations in Scholarship, Teaching, and Service. Editor(s): Noelle Witherspoon-Arnold, University of Missouri-Columbia. René O. Guillaume, New Mexico State University. Emily Crawford-Rossi, University of Missouri.

Published 2014

While nation engages in debates concerning central issues of religion and religious diversity in education, the historic saliency of religion and spirituality in the Black community and in the education of its children continues to be largely ignored. Historically, religion and spirituality were foundational to the development and understanding of social justice issues, including, but not limited to, issues of protest, community up-lift, notions of care, and anti-oppression. Taking into account the historical significance of religion and spirituality in the Black community, it is essential for education scholars to cultivate these long-standing connections as a means for advancing contemporary struggles for social justice, religiosity in education, and counter-hegemonic praxis. The purpose of this book is to expand our understanding of spirituality and religion as related to the p-20 schooling of Blacks students.

Educational scholarship continues to explore the workings of social justice to ameliorate inequities for those who have not been well served in schools. Although the concept of social justice remains a somewhat inchoate term in educational literature, this book seeks to explore the historicity of religion and spirituality while offering a scaffold that links ordinary everyday acts of justice, religion, and spirituality in education to a culture that systematically and institutionally assaults the worth of Black students. It is important to note that this book is grounded in a broad concept of religion and spirituality and the editors seek to be inclusive of all types, styles, and traditions of religiosity and spirituality.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgements. Introduction: The Critical Links Among Spirituality, Religion, and Black Education. Embracing Spirituality: African American Women Leaders Pushing the Evolution of Leadership Practice in Schools, Whitney Sherman Newcomb and Irrekka L. Khan. The Belief and the Practice: Self-Affirming and Resistance-Based Religion and Spirituality Among Black Students, La Monica Everett-Haynes. Black Mormonism as an Example of Model Minority Discourse. Nicholas Hartlep. The Training of Volunteer Adult Sunday School Teachers in the Wisconsin Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ, William C. McCoy. Born of Our Necessities: “Muhammad Speaks” Vision of School Reform, Khuram Hussein. The Assistant Principalship: Racial and Spiritual Dynamics of Educational Leadership, Lisa Niuwenhuizen. Religion and Spirituality Are My Lifelines: “Religion and Spirituality Among Black Professors at Primary-White Institutions, Cassandra Chaney. “I’m Still Holding On”: Bearing Witness to the Gospel Impulse in an Urban All-Boys School, Lenny Sanchez, Gerald Campano, and Ted Hall. Religiosity and Spirituality in Educational Leadership Programs: Perspectives and Reflections From Black Educators, Brenda Marina and Arline Edwards-Joseph. Thoughts on Narrative and Researching Religion and Spirituality, Noelle Witherspoon Arnold. About the Editors. About the Contributors.