Advisory Committee Chair
Lois M Christensen
Advisory Committee Members
Kelly Hill
Samantha Briggs
Lynn Kirkland
Anna McEwan
Kathryn Morgan
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2021
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Education
Abstract
e purpose of this narrative inquiry was to describe the Black Kindergarten Movement through efforts of the Black Women’s Clubs and their communities at the time right after the Reconstruction and into the Progressive Era. The common documents that were used in the data collection process included official records, newspapers, magazine articles, journal articles and historical accounts. These documents were used for the “restorying” of events. The key to this type of study is to use stories as data, especially first-person accounts of experience told in story form while having a beginning, middle, and end. The following questions guided this study: “How did the Black Women’s Clubs propel the Black Kindergarten Movement when public education institutions were not serving Black children?” “How did early childhood education develop and advance in Black communities through Black Women’s Clubs?” Who was the first leader of the National Association of Colored Women (Black Women’s Clubs) and how did her ideas and views help to make an impactful change nationally?” Even with numerous obstacles socially, the Black Kindergarten Movement advanced in Black communities through efforts pf Black women, churches, neighborhood associations, and higher education institutions. The movement stayed strong and consistent through the leaders of the National Association of Colored Women and their ideas to ignite a lasting change. These Black women saw the “race problem” and provided consistent action to solve it by elevating the Black race through social iv betterment through kindergarten. This study highlights and ads information to the limited amount of information available on Black women educators, advocates, and pioneers in early childhood education.
Recommended Citation
Chappell, Dessilyn, "Black Women's Clubs: A Catalyst to the Black Kindergarten Movement" (2021). All ETDs from UAB. 539.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/539
