Color-Blindness, Obfuscation of Violence and Exploitation, and Failure to Connect the Past to the Present: The Presentation of Slavery in the Curriculum Standards of Massachusetts and South Carolina

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Color-Blindness, Obfuscation of Violence and Exploitation, and Failure to Connect the Past to the Present: The Presentation of Slavery in the Curriculum Standards of Massachusetts and South Carolina

The United States has a long history of racism, originating with the institution of slavery and the exploitation of black individuals. Americans, especially white Americans, seem to have differing beliefs about the legacy of slavery and how it continues to impact black Americans (Horowitz, Brown, and Cox, 2019). To understand why these differences occur, we must examine how slavery is being taught to American students. Through content analysis, this study examines how the social studies curriculum standards of Massachusetts and South Carolina compare in how they represent the institution of slavery and the racist policies that emerged during the Reconstruction Era, and whether the standards connect slavery and its aftermath to racial injustice in the present day. Analysis found that Massachusetts describes slavery in broader terms than South Carolina by connecting more institutions and industries to slave labor, though neither state explains the role of race in the institution of slavery. Massachusetts and South Carolina largely ignore or obfuscate the violence and exploitation experienced by enslaved people, and both states fail to connect slavery to modern-day racial injustice. This paper will discuss the implications of my findings and recommendations for future research on the American education system.

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Record Origin: Color-Blindness, Obfuscation of Violence and Exploitation, and Failure to Connect the Past to the Present: The Presentation of Slavery in the Curriculum Standards of Massachusetts and South Carolina

Record Creation Date: 2022-04-19

Description Standard: MODS

Title: Color-Blindness, Obfuscation of Violence and Exploitation, and Failure to Connect the Past to the Present: The Presentation of Slavery in the Curriculum Standards of Massachusetts and South Carolina

Persons: Guerin, Kathleen

Resource Type: Thesis/Dissertation

Date Created: 2021-04-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

Campus Location: N/A

Language: English

Extent and Media: PDF/OCR ; 1.41 MB

Physical Form: N/A

System of arrangement: DACS

Subject LCSH: Education -- Curricula -- Social aspects -- Massachusetts; Education -- Curricula -- Social aspects -- South Carolina; African Americans -- History; Curriculum

Subject Local Topic: N/A

Biography or History: N/A

Custodial history: Transferred to the Emmanuel Archives from the author.

Acquisition Information: Transferred to the Emmanuel Archives from the author.

Appraisal Information: N/A

Accrual Information: Theses are collected on an annual basis in the spring semester

Conditions Governing Access: Access to document is governed by a license signed by the author

Conditions Governing Reproduction: Requests for permission to publish material from this thesis is governed by a license signed by the author. Contact the College Archivist.

Collection Title: Distinction in the Field: Senior Theses

Location of Originals: Digital Folder: Guerin _K

Alternative Form Available: N/A

Material Referenced: N/A

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