Visibly Invisible: TribalCrit and Native American Segregated Schooling

Abstract

The significant racial project known as Brown v. Board of Education has been the subject of numerous articles related to critical race theory scholarship and sociological analysis. But what of the racial projects represented in other racial groups, specifically, Native Americans? Through comparative historical case study and legal storytelling, I introduce five cases involving Native American plaintiffs into the segregated schooling narrative. Using a blend of TribalCrit (Native American critical race theory) and Omi and Winant’s theories on racial projects and racialization, I analyze the court opinions and argue that these cases represent more than racial projects. They are colonizing racial projects that offer very complicated contributions to the historical, legal, and social construction of race in the United States.