Educating the Race in Postmodern Times: The Intraracial Border Crossings of Black Male Teachers

Abstract

Scholarly literature on Black teachers has traditionally depicted a cultural connectedness between Black teachers and Black students. Drawing upon one set of findings from a broader qualitative study on the experiences of 11 Black male teachers in a predominantly Black urban school district, this chapter explores the intraracial divides that confounded study participants’ relationships with Black students and local Black communities. By charting the contested terrains of Black identity politics within urban schools and their surrounding neighborhoods, this chapter reveals the need for critical considerations of how Black male educators can respond to the heterogeneous and evolving nature of Black identities in contemporary American society. Several strategies are offered to enable Black male teachers to negotiate the intraracial differences that may emerge in their work with Black students.