The remarkable—and rebellious—Chalkboard Champion Septima Clark…
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Tag Archives: African American Teachers
Teacher Charlotte Forten Grimke: A Civil War heroine
Here is a short video below by author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell. She describes a remarkable Civil War-era teacher, Charlotte Forten Grimke. This Chalkboard champion, born into a free Black family, went to the South to teach emancipated slaves, even though the Civil War was raging all around her. Watch to learn more:
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Florida Coach Lin-J Shell prevented potential tragedy on campus
Florida Football Coach and PE teacher Lin-J Shell became a Chalkboard Hero when he prevented a potential tragedy on his school campus.
Many talented educators have also had successful careers as athletes. One of these is Wagner Lindsell Shell, Jr., also known as Lin-J Shell. He is a former professional football player who later taught high school physical education. But he’s probably best known for foiling an incident of potential violence at his Florida school.
Lin-J was born Oct. 22, 1981. As a young man, He played college football at Jacksonville University. Later he became a professional football player, occupying the position of defensive back. He played in both the American and the Canadian Football League from 2004 to 2015. Teams he played for include the Philadelphia Eagles, the New Orleans VooDoo, the Calgary Stampeders, the Toronto Argonauts, the BC Lions, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. For his athletic prowess, Lin-J was named an East All-Star for the Canadian Football League in 2010 and 2011. He also garnered a Grey Cup in 2014.
After he concluded his career as a pro-ball player, Lin-J accepted a position as a physical education teacher and Assistant Football Coach at Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He was promoted to interim Head Football Coach at the school just days before the start of the 2019 season, he coached the team to a 4-5 record that year.
On May 9, 2018, while Lin-J was working at Ribault High as the Assistant Football Coach, that he became a hero there. He helped to prevent a woman from using a handgun in the school gymnasium when a brawl broke out. The fight was triggered when the woman became angry about a social media post involving her nephew, who happened to be one of Lin-J’s students. The woman went to the gym with four men. “She got out of the car, she was irate, basically saying she wasn’t going to let anyone jump on her family,” recalled Lin-J. When the teacher noticed that she was holding a gun, he went straight for the firearm. “I came from behind her, I saw she had a gun, I grabbed her hand, put her hand down and hit her elbow,” he continued. Then Lin-J walked the woman backwards out of the gym, holding her arm so that the gun was pointed toward the floor. All the while, he pleaded with her, “Please don’t shoot our kids.” Once he had forced the woman outside, he shouted for help from an armed officer at the school. The officer forced the woman to drop the gun and arrested her. (To read more about the incident, see this onlline article from Bell Media.)
Sadly, this Chalkboard Hero passed away from a stroke in Florida on July 29, 2021. He was only 39 years old. He also tested positive for Covid during the pandemic.
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GA educator Maretta Mitchell Taylor served as a community activist and capable politician
Classroom teacher and community activist Maretta Mitchell Taylor served 12 years in Georgia State House of Representatives. Photo credit: CourierNews.org
Many excellent classroom teachers go on to serve as community activists and capable politicians. One of these is Maretta Mitchell Taylor of Georgia.
Maretta was born on Jan. 25, 1935. As a youngster, she was educated in the Muscogee County School System, where she was known to be an excellent student. As a teenager, she attended William Henry Spencer High School, where she graduated in 1953. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Albany State College located in Albany, Georgia, in 1957. She earned her Master’s degree from Indiana University in Bloomington.
This amazing educator worked as a teacher and media specialist for 30 years, the last 20 of them spent at her high school alma mater. She retired from teaching in 1987.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Maretta was elected to the Georgia House of representatives on the Democratic tickets. She served in that body from 1990 to 2002. In fact, she was the first African American woman elected to represent Georgia House District 94 (now District 134).
While in the House, Maretta championed public education, youth advocacy, and civic equity. Gov. Roy Barnes appointed her to a special House study panel on the role of information technology in public libraries and technical institutes. She also served as Vice Chair of the House Education Committee and sat on the Committees for Children and Youth; Special Judiciary; and Intergovernmental Coordination. Within the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and Women’s Legislative Caucus, she held key leadership roles, including first as the Secretary and then as the Co-Chair.
She also served as a board member for the YMCA and held leadership roles in more than two dozen civic, social, and philanthropic organizations, including the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Columbus Urban League, and the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs (NANBPWC), where she served as National Director of Communication.
For her service to the community, Maretta garnered many accolades and honors. She was named one Fifty Most Influential African Americans in Columbus from the A.J. McClung YMCA; the Leadership 2000 Award from the Kellogg Company; the Legacy of Leadership Award; Outstanding Legislator of the Year—2000 from the Professional Association of Georgia Educators; and the Sojourner Truth Award from NANB & PW Clubs, Inc.. She also earned The Rosa Parks Award from Columbus PUSH; Woman of Achievement from Concharity Council of Girl Scouts, Inc.; and Woman of the Year from Columbus Chattahoochee Valley B&PW Clubs) Gracious Ladies of Georgia.
Maretta Mitchell Taylor was certainly a Chalkboard Champion. Sadly, she passed away in Columbus, Georgia, on Feb. 17, 2013. She was 78 years old. She was interred at Green Acres Cemetery.
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PA teacher Leon Smith named 2026 National Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Leon Smith, a high school Social Studies teacher from Pennsylvania. He has been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. Leon teaches Advanced Placement US History and Advanced Placement African American Studies to sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Haverford High School in Haverford./