Recovering a Gem: Melva L. Price, a New York City Teacher

Authors

• Emmanuelle St. Jean, University of Saint Mary (KS)Follow

Abstract

The paucity of research on the experiences of Black women teachers in integrated New York City schools underscores the need for further investigation. Studying Black women teachers in integrated school settings opens the door for reshaping the traditional framings of Black women teachers as revolutionary individuals who largely taught and transformed the learning experiences of Black children. This article focuses on Melva Price, a Latin language teacher at a New York City high school. Price became a teacher during a period of intense marginalization and oppression. Her journey to becoming a teacher, her pedagogical practices, and her experiences as a teacher in predominantly White schools, primarily between 1920 and 1940, are discussed. Through her story, this article argues that Price used education as a means to navigate and resist systemic barriers while fostering communities within and outside the classroom.

Author Biography

Emmanuelle St. Jean



Emmanuelle St. Jean is the director of New York City programs for the Bard Prison Initiative at Bard College, where she supports youth and adults in translating education into opportunity. Previously, she served as a Broad Resident at KIPP DC, reimagining athletics and extended learning across 19 schools and developing a health career pathway at the University of the District of Columbia. She spent over 10 years in public health, providing strategic guidance to improve outcomes for individuals and communities. Emmanuelle earned degrees from Barnard College, Columbia University; Emory University; the Broad Center (now the Yale School of Management); and the University of Saint Mary.

Recommended Citation

St. Jean, E. (2026). Recovering a gem: Melva L. Price, a New York City teacher. Occasional Paper Series, (56), 78-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58295/2375-3668.1621