Prioritizing Pro-Blackness in literacy research, scholarship, and teaching

Abstract

Against the backdrop of endemic anti-Black racism in Early Childhood literacy, we frame these special issues using Pro-Blackness as an antidote in early childhood classrooms. Pro-Black does note connote anti-White or anti any other ethnic group and declares an unapologetic, positive perspective regarding Blackness and Black people which is not evident in most educational settings. Pro-Blackness focuses on the agency, resistance, everyday lives, and joy of Black people. We unpack anti-Blackness in Early Childhood literacy contexts and offer Pro-Black strategies. We note the pervasive omission of Black theorists and scholarship in teacher education and P-3 classrooms and call for a prioritization of Pro-Black theories, research, policies, literacy practices and assessments.