Harlem's ‘motherwork’ post-Brown: implications for urban school leaders

Abstract

ABSTRACT The recent calls to desegregate New York City's public schools reify the fact that equity, social justice, and access to meaningful schooling continue to be a significant problem for Black and Hispanic children and their families, especially those who reside in urban communities. In this historiography I utilise a Black feminist perspective to explore how Harlem's mothers desegregated NYC's public schools after the landmark school desegregation ruling. The mothers’ advocacy and efforts embodied the concept of motherwork, an attribute that is often unrecognised by school leaders. Implications are offered to urge urban school leaders to reimagine best practices and the function of parent involvement and community engagement in their respective school-communities.