White Christian nationalism in Black education: Breaking bread at the kitchen table

Abstract

This kitchen table dialogue brings together two scholars, one Black woman assistant professor and one white male doctoral student, unified in our research interests in the history of Black education and our faith as Christians. We gathered on the Zoom video conferencing platform to “break bread,” engaging in a cultural and spiritual tradition to share and commune with each other. The purpose of the kitchen table talk was to discuss the current state of white Christian nationalism (WCN) and how it has been foundational to the structure and establishment of U.S. schools. We explicitly explore its implications on Black education across time and offer critical theoretical perspectives and liberatory theological insights. We are hopeful that this discourse furthers critical conversations, teaching, and scholarship at the intersections of education, race, and religion that move U.S. education toward constructing educational structures that recognize the sacred nature of our work and care for the spirit and souls of all students.