Educating Black Youth Moral Principles Through Black Art

About the Book

This book examined interpretative narratives regarding Black art through group discussions, one on one interaction, and participant observations by Black youth in the community in Jonesboro, Georgia. The interpretive stories were collected from a group of five eighth grade Black youth. Participants were encouraged to relate the visual experience to their own childhood. In addition to this, stories from my own childhood experiences were incorporated as an important aspect of this research. This framework contains information gathered from historical narratives of Black works of art as well as written and verbal texts of Black students and theorists of Black studies. I have included a number of poems which are reflective of the Black experience. This research drew upon developments of democracy, relating to Black culture, education of Blacks in the South, and the relationship of moral principles among Blacks relating to art, schools, and social events in America. The goal is to share my research and strategies with educators, parents, and community leaders who can direct this process of increasing self awareness regarding morals among Black youth through specific exercises in schools and community venues.

About the Author

I was born in Helena, Arkansas March 27, 1952, ninth child of eleven children; six boys and five girls of Levi and Rosie Spann. Growing up in Helena, Arkansas, was not an easy life, although we children did not know it at the time, because we always had clothes to wear and food to eat, whether the clothes were hand-me-downs or the food was milk-and-bread, we were all so care free and enjoyed each other - that was enough for us. Moral virtue was something engrained in us as we grew up with a mother who had to rear 11 children after our father passed away when I was five. We knew who was in control and it was important to know that we were safe and loved.