Granville T. Woods
This is why our history is momentous. We are clearly still fighting for our kids and ourselves to learn about our history. It has been drowning in a European system that does not care about educating melanated students about their own history. I do not understand what they don't get. Woods contributions to this world, despite the background noise of Jim Crow and white supremacy, made him one of the very best inventors in the world. Woods was a brilliant man. He was an engineer and highly educated. He had a multitude of patents. Granville invented the roller coaster, made railroads better, the telegraph, air brake system and others.
This entire American Educational system really needs to be revamped. If you are an educator that happens to be working in an educational environment where the students are predominately people of color or black melanated students, is it ok to say you should be obligated to learn about their culture. Why would you not think about resources, books and educational materials conducive to their (them) learning? Be honest. If your European kids were taught everything about black history by black women only and whitewashed their own history, European folks and parents would not stand for that. So, why do they think it is NOT ok for our kids to have Granville T. Woods included into the curriculum? This goes for those other groups and Europeans. If you are teaching black kids, you really should be advocating to the district, the state or whoever you need to, in order for children that you teach to be taught rightfully. European history dominates in melanated schools, in 2024, when it should not. Granville was born to invent. He was also allowed to share time and space from 1856-1910 to show other human beings that look like him how it could be possible for them. You don't think melanated children would benefit from knowing that? They would!
This entire American Educational system really needs to be revamped. If you are an educator that happens to be working in an educational environment where the students are predominately people of color or black melanated students, is it ok to say you should be obligated to learn about their culture. Why would you not think about resources, books and educational materials conducive to their (them) learning? Be honest. If your European kids were taught everything about black history by black women only and whitewashed their own history, European folks and parents would not stand for that. So, why do they think it is NOT ok for our kids to have Granville T. Woods included into the curriculum? This goes for those other groups and Europeans. If you are teaching black kids, you really should be advocating to the district, the state or whoever you need to, in order for children that you teach to be taught rightfully. European history dominates in melanated schools, in 2024, when it should not. Granville was born to invent. He was also allowed to share time and space from 1856-1910 to show other human beings that look like him how it could be possible for them. You don't think melanated children would benefit from knowing that? They would!
This little girl has parents who are assertive in training and teaching their little girl how powerful she is and how influential her history has been to this world. You have to emulate this, parents. Representation matters so that our tribe can read it, see it, and then they believe they can do it. Reading great books with literature reflective of themselves, will keep your kids minds elevated in a higher frequency and away from negative things. Even if you do not like to read, I say read it anyway. Take your kids to the library often. Read with them at home. They are not going to teach your kids about their history. You have to do that with them and make time for it. Of course, some folks already know this and do it but there are some people who do not do it or understand how crucial it is.
