Black Women Educators: An Exploration of Liberatory Pedagogical Practices at the Oakland Community School

Authors

• Renée Wilmot, Michigan State UniversityFollow

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the autobiographical development and pedagogical practices of educators at the Oakland Community School (OCS). The OCS, in alignment with the Black Power Movement, developed revolutionary pedagogical practices that resisted Eurocentric curriculum which sought to normalize and reinforce white middle class values. Specifically, this paper will consider previous interviews and autobiographies with founding members of the school such as David Hillard and Huey P. Newton. As well as interviews with veteran school director, Ericka Huggins, and alumna, Kellita Smith. This information can reveal the ways K-12 experiences of the OCS school leaders became catalysts for the intents and purposes of the OCS and specific pedagogical practices that center Black students.

Author Biography

Renée Wilmot, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University. Her scholarship and teaching focus on social foundations of education, and race, equity, and intersectionality. In her research, she primarily explores two themes: (1) the historical legacy of Black women as educators and activists in the Black community, and (2) Black girls’ practices of thriving and resisting harmful schooling structures.

Recommended Citation

Wilmot, R. (2026). Black women educators: An exploration of liberatory pedagogical practices at the oakland community school. Occasional Paper Series, (56), 39-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58295/2375-3668.1633