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Show February 13, 1979 Anti - Slavery effort in education Editor's note: The following article is Part III of a continuing series by Dr. Oliver. His features will center around the importance of black education within the American system of education. Dr. Oliver is currently Coordinator of Ethnic Studies at WSC. by Dr. Daily E. Oliver Coordinator of Ethnic Studies Between the mid-seventeen hundreds and the mid-eighteen hundreds knowledgeable blacks (free and slave) were reciting exploits of black people in their escape from slavery. The educational purpose of these knowledgeable blacks was to inform other blacks, who were slaves, that there was a better life than that of a slave. In addition, one had to know how to read, write, and do arithmetic so they could participate in the "American Dream." These knowledgeable blacks taught other blacks how to use leisure time to their advantage. They prompted those blacks who could read to read further. The purpose of this type of instruction was for the improvement of black life. The emphasis on improvement of black life has been interpreted to mean development of civil rights for black people. It was the belief that an ignorant people can be governed, and a knowledgeable people can govern themselves. In conjunction with civil rights, educated blacks had a second function to perform for black people, which was to serve as a messenger to communicate white reactions, policies, and strategies to the black community.Better ways to escape Blacks had the faith that the ability to read and write would be their entree to a better life. Blacks believed if they could read and write they could devise better ways to escape from slavery and prepare themselves to overcome obstacles that they would encounter from whites. In essence, blacks viewed the purposes of education as: (1) to improve their mental and moral condition; (2) the spreading of useful knowledge; (3) the training of future orators and leaders; (4) prepare and qualify themselves for future usefulness; (5) the improvement of themselves in the mechanical arts. The free blacks began to realize that individually they were powerless. Only when they began to organize themselves would they have any force in society. . Beginning in the 1970's groups of free blacks began appealing for redress of their grievances to such groups as the Boston Town Selectmen and the Massachusetts legislature. Though their petitions were not always granted, their efforts had a positive effect. Such groups as the African Society and the African Lodge in Boston and the Free African Society in Philadelphia gave black people a voice in the public arena that was not easily ignored. Societies like these also provided blacks with financial protection in the form of insurance, a training ground for leadership, and a place where group solidarity could be affirmed.Private schools for Blacks Though many blacks (slave and free) had learned to read and write in informal ways before the War for American Independence, progress in black education was slow in coming. By the end of the eighteenth century several private schools for blacks had been founded through white benevolence as well as black initiative. But no public schools for black children were established in the eighteenth century, and the few black children who attended white schools did not remain long because of the discrimination they met there. Most of the educational conventions of the ante-bellum years emphasized the necessity of alleviating the oppression of free blacks and dealt with problems related to education, suffrage, and job training. Often, however, resolutions of support for the enslaved blacks of the south were passed at convention meetings. Needless to say, resolutions were not enough, and blacks in the north, many of whom were active in the Underground Railroad, began to form vigilance committees to help protect fugitive slaves from recapture and to find them jobs and housing. Northern blacks were also involved in the work of the many abolitionist organizations. During the course of the War for American Independence, blacks fought in all of the major battles, including Brandywine, Boonesborough, Yorktown, White Plains, Saratoga, and Trenton. Almost all of the colonies that supplied blacks who took part in the War; Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and Connecticut had heavy black enlistments. After the war for American Independence ended, blacks began taking part in the general development of the country. Vigorous Pursuit of Freedom The early history of blacks shows them as explorers, settlers, slaves and patriots, beginning their vigorous pursuit of freedom, liberty, and equality. As America developed and expanded, blacks developed into ardent supporters of the nation's highest ideals, the principles established in the Bill of Rights and Constitution. In essence, blacks wanted freedom. They wanted the same rights and privileges extended to them that the white Americans received from the War of American Independence. Progressive Roch Ogden Signpost During the Middle Ages, DO o oooooooooocooocxx D in $tuv iit (Stasia! iwf mm m (3 JaiMl -CXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)00000000' DQQQQQQCX3QCXQQOOQOOOOQl baths were usually taken only on SxSTfjfti XvU Page 5 a doctor's request! mxgjm& SJH3j j i i r c i c C 0 q f .-- 0 O |