As part of a project on the status of African-Americans that was initiated by the William Monroe Institute for the Study of Black Culture at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, this volume takes a comprehensive look at the education of African-Americans, specifically early childhood through postsecondary education, and relevant public policy issues since 1940. The list of contributors to the study includes both white and black scholars who are affiliated with primarily urban institutions located in the Northwest, the South, and on the East Coast who are deeply committed to educational research. By focusing on the known status of the education of African-Americans to date and the additional factors which need to be considered in order to develop appropriate educational strategies, these essays evaluate current programs and provide recommendations for public policy improvements.

Each essay addresses some aspect of the history of the education of African-Americans or the effectiveness of pertinent laws and policies enacted within the past fifty years. Trends in the educational advancement of Blacks are clearly defined with particular focus on the forecasting of circumstances that could affect future progress. Topics ranging from counseling and guidance of minority children to the need for more Black teachers and the continuing struggle with racial violence on campus, demonstrate the broad scope of this volume. Suggestions for further reading on a specific topic appear in the list of references at the end of each chapter.