The "Southern Workman": A Resource for Documenting the Development of Early Care and Education in Virginia.

Overview & Synopsis

Many published histories of education and early childhood care omit African Americans' contributions. Many African American women chose careers in teaching and social work after the Civil War. Their leadership throughout the 20th century significantly impacted early care and education. Since its inception in 1868, Virginia's Hampton Institute played a crucial role in training African American women. Its journal, the "Southern Workman" (1881-1929), provides information on the historical contributions of African American educators. The journal's goal was to promote understanding and respect between the races, chronicling achievements of its programs and graduates. Many articles trace the development of early care and education programs and the field's emergence as a professional career path for African American women. These writings reveal that African American educators were important in working for desegregation and equal education for all Virginia children. This paper describes the rise of industrial education; industrial education and Hampton Institute's kindergarten curriculum; public kindergarten for African Americans; private early care and education for African Americans; Hampton Institute's child development laboratory school; the emergence of standards for early care and education in Virginia; and establishment of the Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education (an integrated advocacy group). (Contains 40 references.) (SM)