Tag Archives: African American Teachers

Philadelphia’s Keziah Ridgeway stays connected with students during pandemic

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High school history teacher Keziah Ridgeway from Philadelpohia, Pennsylvania, stays connected with her students by leading a free online course in African American history during coronavirus pandemic closures.

Teachers all over the country have struggled over the past month to stay connected with their students during coronavirus shut down. One teacher who is doing this very successfully is Keziah Rodgeway, a history teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Keziah teaches at Northeast High School in Philadelphia. When the schools in her district were shut down, she offered her students a free online course on African American history to any student who was interested. The response was so enthusiastic that she now teaches her course four days a week on Google Hangouts Meet. Between 40 to 60 students per week, some of them from out of state, tune in to the online sessions, even though the classes aren’t required and even though they wont be getting any credit for the effort.

There is more at stake than knowledge. Keziah and her students are attempting to maintain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, and to stay connected with others while social distancing at home. “When we are educating, we are doing so much more than that,” Keziah expressed. “And it’s so important for our students to see that we really care about them — that we’re invested in their future. And one way you do that is showing up.”

Before long, Keziah noticed that her virtual classroom has become its own little universe, with kids from around the city forging new bonds. One day she had to cancel class because of other job obligations. When she logged on to remind students of the cancellation, she found a lot of them were still there in the virtual class — hanging out, chatting with each other, and even trying to lead a lesson themselves. “They really log on to be a part of a community,” she said. “They continue to come because they want to continue to interact and have some sort of normalcy.”

Keziah earned her Bachelor’s degree in History from Temple University in 2009. She earned her  Master’s degree in Secondary Education and her teaching credentials from Saint Joseph’s University in 2011. She has taught for  Philadelphia Public Schools since 2014.

To read more about teachers and their efforts to stay in touch with their students during the pandemic, see this article from WHYY at PBS.

Teacher, women’s rights activist, and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune

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Teacher, women’s rights activist, and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune.

Many fine educators have also made significant contributions to their communities and to society as a whole. One of these is Mary McLeod Bethune, an African American teacher who was was also a women’s rights activist and civil rights leader.

Mary McLeod Bethune was born on July 10, 1875, to former slaves in a log cabin on a plantation in Maysville, South Carolina. Her parents were Samuel and Patsy McLeod. Mary was the last of the couple’s 17 children, and the only one of the McLeod children to be born into freedom.

When the Civil War was won, Mary’s mother worked for her former owner until she could buy the land on which the McLeod family grew cotton. By nine years of age, young Mary could pick 250 pounds of cotton a day.

Even as a young child, Mary showed an unusual interest in books and reading. However, in those days it was rare for African Americans to receive an education. Nevertheless, a charitable organization interested in providing educational opportunities for Black children established a school near Mary’s home. Her parents could scrape together only enough money to pay the tuition for one of their children, and Mary was chosen. The future educator earned a scholarship to attend the Scotia Seminary, a boarding school in North Carolina. She graduated from there in 1894. She also attended Dwight Moody’s Institute for Home and Foreign Missions in Chicago, Illinois. Her studies there spanned two years.

When she grew up, Mary retained her strong desire to extend educational opportunities to other African Americans. She established her career as a teacher. While teaching in South Carolina, she married fellow teacher Albertus Bethune. The union produced one son in 1899.

In 1904 Mary founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. Starting out with only five students, she helped expand the school to more than 250 students over the next few years. Today, this school is known Bethune-Cookman University.

In her later years, Mary became a close friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and also a trusted adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt. In recognition of her outstanding abilities, the President made her a member of his unofficial “Black Cabinet.” He also appointed her the head of the National Youth Administration in 1936. In 1937 the indefatigable educator organized a conference on the Problems of the Negro and Negro Youth, and she fought tirelessly to end discrimination and lynching. In 1940, Mary became the Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP), a position she held for the rest of her life. In 1945, she was appointed by President Harry Truman to be the only woman of color present at the founding meeting of the United Nations.

This celebrated educator passed away peacefully on May 18, 1955. For all her accomplishments, Mary McLeod Bethune is truly a chalkboard champion. To read more about her, see this link at the website for the National Women’s History Museum.

Mamie Dillard: Kansas teacher and avid suffragist

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Mamie Dillard: Kansas teacher and avid suffragist.

Many excellent classroom teachers also work tirelessly to improve society as a whole. One of these is Mamie J. Dillard, an African American teacher and suffragist from Kansas.

Mamie was born Mary Jane Dillard in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, on September 10, 1874. Although her name was Mary Jane, she always preferred to be called Mamie. Her parents, Jesse and Fannie Dillard, were both born in Virginia. Neither of them could read or write. The family moved to Kansas in 1870.  As a young girl, Mamie was an excellent student. She graduated from Lawrence High School with top grades. In fact, she was the only African American in her graduating class.

The future educator earned her Bachelor’s degree from Kansas University in 1896. Once she earned her degree, she launched her career as an educator at the Pinckney Elementary School in Lawrence. One of her most famous students there was famous Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. In 1909, Mamie attended graduate school at the University of Kansas, where she studied English and special education. Once she completed her courses there, she accepted a position as the principal of the Lincoln School, a local segregated elementary school. In addition to her responsibilities at the school, Mamie was appointed delegate to the Negro National Educational Congress in 1916.

All her life, Mamie devoted herself to improving her community. She was an ardent activist for women’s suffrage. She promoted rights and votes for women and civil rights and leadership for the African Americans in her area. She was active in the African American Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. She was also a member of the Double Six Club, the Home and Garden Club, and the Sierra Leone Club. In addition, she was a patron of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.  in 1933, of the Self Culture Club, a local organization for African American women. In 1933, Mamie became a member of the Self Culture Club, an organization that promoted education and community building among working mothers.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away in her home town of Lawrence on November 24, 1954. She was 80 years old. She was interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence.

To read more about Mamie Dillard, see this article printed online in the Kansaspedia.

Virginia teacher LaToya McGriff inspires with Black History Month lessons

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Although February is over, I want to share just one more story about Black History Month celebrations with you. The story features first grade teacher LaToya McGriff who works at Creekside Elementary School in Suffolk, Virginia.

Every day last month, LaToya dressed up as a different African American trailblazer. Then she shared that individuals important contribution to US history. She started with NASA mathematician Mary Jackson. Mary was profiled in the book and film Hidden Figures, which shared the story of three African American female mathematicians whose efforts helped put men on the moon. LaToya also featured jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, tennis star Arthur Ashe, the first African American man to win the U.S. Open, educator Booker T. Washington, and ballerina Misty Copeland, among others.

LaToya says the practice kept her students curious and asking questions, and she hopes the overall project will give them the confidence to know that, like these important historical figures, they can be great, too!

To learn more, see this short video posted by CBS News on You Tube:

Arkansas educator, public servant, and politician John M. Lewellen

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John M. Lewellen is a science teacher who also served his community as a public servant and as a member of the Arkansas State Legislature.

Many fine educators also make a name for themselves in politics. One of these is John M. Lewellen, a science teacher who also served his community as a public servant and as a member of the Arkansas State Legislature.

John was born in Forest City, St. Francis County, Arkansas, on Sept. 16, 1930. As a youngster, he attended Dansby Elementary School and Lincoln High School in his home town. After his high school graduation, John served a four-year stint in the US Air Force, and is recognized as a Korean War Veteran.

Once he earned his honorable discharge, John enrolled at AM&N, the Agricultural Mining and Normal College located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was the first member of his family to go to college. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1958. Once he earned his degree, John moved to the Altheimer and Hermitage areas, where he accepted a position as a high school teacher. Later he served the school as its principal. “I think his proudest moment was he took five of the outstanding seniors to our alma mater, AM&N, and introduced them to the president and helped them get scholarships,” remembered John’s wife, Wilhelmina Lewellen.

Later, John relocated with his wife and children to Little Rock, Arkansas. There he worked within the state government. He served in positions as a probation officer, a state rehabilitation counselor, and a contractor officer for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. His career there spanned 30 years.

In his later life, John decided to pursue a career in public service. He was elected to the Little Rock City Board in 1991, the Pulaski County Quorum Court in 1996, and the Pulaski County Justice of the Peace for District 6. In 1999, John was elected to the Arkansas State House of Representatives, where he served until 2004. He represented the 34th District on the Democratic ticket. During the six years he served in the State House, John co-founded the Democratic Black Caucus, chaired the Children and Youth subcommittee, and worked for growth of businesses owned by minorities and women.

This former educator passed away from a lengthy illness in Little Rock Nov. 25, 2017. He was 87 years old. His remains were interred at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander, Arkansas.

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link to read his obituary.