Tag Archives: African American Teachers

Eighth grade teacher, poet, and author Elizabeth Acevedo

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Elizabeth Acevedo

Eighth grade teacher, poet, and author Elizabeth Acevedo.

There are many examples of excellent teachers who have earned acclaim in arenas outside the classroom. One of these is Elizabeth Acevedo, an eighth grade schoolteacher who is also a poet and author of young adult novels.

Elizabeth, who identifies as Afro-Latina, was born to parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republican. She was raised in New York. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from George Washington University. She earned her Master’s degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland.

As a 2010 Teach for America Corps participant, Elizabeth went into the classroom following her college graduation. She taught eighth grade in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Elizabeth’s books include, Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths published in 2016, and With the Fire on High published in 2019. Her first novel, The Poet X (2018), The Poet X, was published in 2018, and instantly became a New York Times Bestseller. The novel won the 2018 Boston Globe-Hornbook Award, the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature, the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, and the 2019 Michael L. Printz Award.

Today, Elizabeth lives in Washington, DC. She is involved in a variety of poetry workshops at high schools and universities. She also works as a visiting instructor at an adjudicated youth center in Washington, DC, where she works with incarcerated women and with teenagers. In addition, she attends a lot of poetry slams as a host or judge, and she was once a coach.

“Being around teenagers all the time makes me aware of the emotional scale that they’re on and how they’re responding to things,” Elizabeth says. “If nothing else, it’s a reminder of how brilliant they are,” she asserts. “Some adults write down to young people, but, if you listen to them, they’ll tell you what they need. Oftentimes, I think they’re more able to handle difficult subjects than we give them credit for,” she concludes.

 

Florida teacher and entrepreneur Jimmy Dallas

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Jimmie Dallas

Florida teacher and entrepreneur Jimmy Dallas, Sr.

Since this is the last day of Black History Month 2018, it seems appropriate to close with the story of yet another distinguished African American educator from US history: Jimmie Dallas, a dedicated teacher and civic leader from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Jimmie, who was born James Albert Dallas, was born December 19, 1917, in Monticello, Florida. Sadly, before he was 12 years old, both his parents, Albert and Florida Dallas, had passed away. He was raised by his six siblings.

Jimmie graduated in 1936 from Middletown High School in Hillsborough County in 1936. After one year at Bethune-Cookman College, Jimmie enrolled at Florida A&M University, where he graduated in 1942. While there, he was accepted into the Kappa alpha Psi fraternity. Musically talented, he played the trombone in the university’s marching, jazz, and concert bands.

After his graduation from Florida A&M in 1942, Jimmie was admitted to the pharmacy program at Howard University, a historically Black college located in Washington, DC. However, because WWII was in full swing, Jimmie was drafted into the United States Army only ten days after his program at Howard began. His military service spanned four years, fist in Pacific Ocean Operations, and later as a First Sergeant in the 24th Infantry Division in Okinawa, Japan.

Once the war was ended, Jimmie accepted his first position as a teacher of English and public speaking at Dorsey High School in Miami, Florida. He also taught at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano and Sunrise Middle School in Fort Lauderdale. In all, Jimmie’s career spanned 36 years by the time he retired in 1982. “He was a hard worker,” remembered colleague James Crumpler. “He was a good English teacher. The kids liked him. He related real well with them,” Crumpler continued.

During Jimmy’s long career as an educator, he took time out to marry fellow educator Margie Street Dallas in 1950, and raise a family of three children.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Jimmie owned two nightclubs, O’Dell’s Lounge and Grill and The Big Savory, Many notable musicians performed at Jimmie’s venues, including Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and Lionel Hampton. For this achievement, the Dillard Historical Museum honored Jimmie’s contributions to his community. In fact, he is the first African American man to have a street in downtown Fort Lauderdale named in his honor.

James Dallas passed away from a colon illness on April 9, 2004. He was 86 years old.

Former Language Arts teacher and Mississippi State Representative Sara Richardson Thomas

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Sara Richardson Thomas

Former Language Arts teacher and Mississippi State Representative Sara Richardson Thomas.

Many fine educators who have made a mark in the political arena. One of these is Sara Richardson Thomas, a retired Language Arts teacher who has also served in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

Sara was born in Indianola, Sunflower County, Mississippi, on April 21, 1941. Her parents were sharecroppers. After her high school graduation, Sara attended Mississippi Valley State University and Delta State University. Once she earned her college degree, Sara taught Language Arts in public elementary schools within Sunflower County, Mississippi. Her career as an educator spanned 21 years.

In 1998, Sara was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives on the Democratic ticket. She succeeded her nephew, Bill Richardson of Indianola, who succumbed to cancer while in office. Sara represented the 31st District for an additional 21 years. While in office, she served on the State House Committees on Education, Youth and Family Affairs, Ethics, Public Property, Tourism, and Agriculture.

Sara holds membership in a number of prestigious organizations, including the Mississippi Association of Educators, the National Association of Educators, the Mississippi Retired Teachers Association, the Mississippi Valley State University Alumni Association.

Way to go, Sara!

Louisa Lydia Alexander: Early African American educator

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Louisa Lydia Alexander

Tombstone of Louisa Lydia Alexander, early African American educator.

This year’s celebration of Black History Month gives us the opportunity to recognize African American individuals that may otherwise go unrecognized. Our country’s history is full of stories of amazing African American pioneer educators. One of these is Louisa Lydia Alexander, an educator from the South who was one of the first Black women to attend Oberlin College. .

Louisa was born at Mays Lick, Kentucky, on November 2, 1836. She was one of five daughters born to Henry and Lucy Alexander. Her father had been born a slave, but had been able to purchase his freedom when he was 21 years old. Once Henry was a free man, he became a merchant. Lucy and Henry worked tirelessly to earn money to send their daughters to school.

In 1950, Louisa was admitted to Oberlin College located in Oberlin, Ohio. Oberlin was the first American institution of higher learning to admit women students, and one of the first i the country to admit Black students. After studying for six years, Louisa completed the requirements for the Ladies Teaching course. She had earned her degree.

Following her college graduation, Louisa launched a lengthy career as an educator, teaching in numerous towns in the South, including Charleston, South Carolina; Marietta, Georgia; Henderson, Kentucky; Cumberland, Mississippi; Red Banks, Mississippi; Mays Lick, Kentucky; St. Mark, Alabama; and Giles Plantation, Mississippi.

This amazing pioneer educator passed away in Washington, DC, on August 18, 1911, at the age of 74. She is interred in Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin, Lorain County, Ohio.

Educator and former football player Marcus Rucker of Texas

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Marcus Rucker

Educator and former football player Marcus Rucker of Houston, Texas.

There are many examples of excellent teachers who have also earned recognition as fine athletes. One of these is Marcus Rucker, a high school educator who also played professional football.

Marcus Bernard Rucker was born in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, on April 20, 1985. As a teenager, Marcus attended Magnolia High School in magnolia, Arkansas, graduating in 2003. While in high school, Marcus played in the Arkansas All-Star game, and was twice voted Most Valuable Player by his team-mates. In his senior year he was named a finalist for the Landers Award, an honor given to the top high school player in the state. A well-rounded athlete, Marcus also participated in track and basketball. In addition to his success in athletics, Marcus earned membership in the National Honor Society, the Mu Alpha Theta society, and placed on the Honor Roll all four years.

After his high school graduation, Marcus enrolled at Rice University, a private research facility located in Houston, Texas. There he double majored in Economics and Sports Management. While there, Marcus played college football for the Rice University Owls.

In 2007, Marcus attended training camp with the Seattle Seahawks of Seattle, Washington, but was not signed to play with the team. However, in September of that year, the 6′, 200-pound linebacker did sign with Canada’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he was placed on their development squad.

When his career as a pro football player was complete, Marcus enrolled in the Teach for America program. That was 2011. That year, he was assigned to teach high school in an inner-city school in Houston, Texas. Currently this amazing athlete and professional educator serves on the leadership team of YES Prep Public Schools, Eisenhower Senior High, in Houston.

Way to go, Marcus!