Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Mis-Education of the Negro, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Racism and Education
Mis-Education as Social Control
Failures of Black Leadership
Business and Economic Development
Summary
Analysis
Carter G. Woodson notes that he has been speaking out about his views on education for some time in academic settings. Many of the people he met suggested that he publish a book in order to make his thinking more accessible to the general public, so he decided to summarize his research in The Mis-Education of the Negro.
Woodson presents this book as part of his service to the American public, and especially the Black community. As a prominent educator and historian, he’s seen how the U.S. education system has failed Black students firsthand. At the same time, he’s also an example of an exception to the rule—he managed to succeed despite going through the under-resourced, segregated, and often oppressive schools that he criticizes throughout this book. This is a convincing reason why Woodson’s readers should look to him for solutions to problems with the U.S. education system.
Themes
