What is an 
Anti-Bias
Multicultural 
Philosophy? 

 
 

Anne Spencer, Poet

(1882-1976)

 

What is 
African-American History 
and
African-American Deaf History?

 

 

Activities 
for implementing an 
Anti-Bias/Multicultural Approach to African-American History for 
Deaf learners

 

 
 

What NOT to do 
while using an Anti-Bias/ 
Multicultural 
approach in your classroom

B. Rosa Parks from Alabama refused to give up her seat on the bus after 
a long day at work on December 1st 1955.  She was arrested and this event 
changed the course of black history. 

 A: to escort 9 black students to little rock central high school. 

C :  "separate but equal continued till May 17th 1954 

A:  because of it's geological position was center of the Underground 
Railroad activities. 

B, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was a graduate of Chicago Medical School and 
helped the founding of the City Provident Hospital the first interracial 
hospital in US and gained international fame for performing the first open heart 
surgery. 

A: was awarded four pounds in damages 

A, 

C, contract with another nation to produce slaves 

C 

B

Ohio 

C 

B 

Answer to #1: 

B 

Andrew Foster, who then went on to establish 22-24 schools for the 
deaf in Africa 

1891

Ernest Hairston and Linwood Smith 

a. the Black national Anthem 

The term ANTI-BIAS as defined by us is used here to mean a philosophy in which a person:
 

1) Is respectful of the differences and similarities which exist among human peoples

2) Responds to differences in culture, sexuality, age, gender, physical differences, mental abilities, ethnicity and language in a way that does not endanger or suppress the ideals representative of such differences.

3) Is socially responsible in that she recognizes that she has a place within the context of a culture, and because of that is an integral part of the whole. If her culture conducts an action which is reprehensible, she recognizes as an individual she has some part in that action*

4)Follows ethical standards which go beyond cultural traditions and norms. 
 

*This is perhaps best exemplified by Muhatmas Gandhi, who taught peace but also practiced it.

1) Give students a chance to explore African-American history throughout the course of the year and infused into all parts of the curriculum in subtle but effective ways: 
 

Example #1:  During a theme on "Spring" for 5th grade Deaf students, the students saw short clips of video of different parts of Africa during our Springtime.  Questions were asked- what kind of people live there? etc. This can lead into discussion of skin color, warmer climates all year round and the need for a darker skin color. 

Example #2: The theme for a 1st grade classroom is Pictures. During one activity, the teacher sets up an activity area with different kinds of pictures, black and white, color, sepia tone and the children should sort the pictures by color. The pictures should include famous African-Americans (as well as Asian-, Hispanic, etc.).  Do the students sort by color of the people or color of the picture?

2) As much as possible, get historical evidence to show what African-Americans thought and think about their history. What did they think of the emancipation, the westward expansion, the role of ebonics in school systems?  This is crucial especially if as a teacher you cannot identify with African-American culture; children should learn to ask people within a culture what their perspective is and how they view the world. 

There is currently not much information about African-American Deaf History, but to sum up what it is in context of an Anti-Bias Curriculum:

• The African-American Deaf experience is characterized by its alienation from mainstream African-American culture because of linguistic and cultural differences. This has affected the historial role of Deaf African-Americans in mainstream African-American culture.
• To be African-American and Deaf is to fit into the whole  of the American puzzle. Without the historical contributions of African-Americans, both hearing and Deaf, America would have surely not become the country it is today.
• African-American history is a complete and rich history of a wide variation in people, places and events throughout time.
• African-American history is a combination of positive and negative. 
• It is crucial to understand that African-American culture, like any human culture, is a part of a larger social order and that cultures do not always do ethically just things merely because they are a minority. 
• African-Americans are linked by the common bond of slavery in some part of their past, and many are still bound by a culture which is oppressed due in part to its history of forced labor and the Diaspora from Africa.

To be African-American, like being any other American, is to truly live in two or more worlds. To be Deaf and African-American could be seen to complicate the issue of personal identity even more. 
 
 
 

 Links for African American History
 

 Africanamericanminute.com A place to listen to and purchase different recordings from African American history, from Cole Porter to BBKing and Martin Luther King, Jr.  Uses Windows Media Player or Real Player to listen to recordings.

Pictured on left: "Overworked and Underpaid" by Gigi Bolden
Click on Picture to go to African American Art Site

We must remember when teaching Deaf and Hard-of-hearing children that if they have full access to a visual language, in this case American Sign Language, they will be able to learn anything hearing children can.  Therefore, there are no “special” rules for teaching about African American history, other than a few tips in using ASL effectively while teaching African American history:

1) Drama in education has been influential in changing perspectives and opening doors for minorities. American Sign Language lends itself well to role-playing situations, in fact role-playing might even help build ASL skills!  It is suggested to use theater, drama and the visual arts as much as possible while exploring African-American history throughout the year.

2) For older children, incorporate lessons about the differences between African American sign and other dialects of ASL, bring in guest speakers or lecturers to show kids different signs from the African American community or signs from one or two countries in Africa. Ask questions: did these African signs affect how ASL is used? What part do African Americans play in shaping the language (these are higher-level questions most appropriate for high school children)
 
 

*Don't make it a bunch of celebrations- make the experience real and not something kids will generalize (all African people do is dance with clothing with pretty colors) 

*Don't forget to include people who are African-American; they are the most knowledgeable about their culture and identity. They MUST be included for this to be effective.

*Don't make students tokens- if they are African-American, they are not necessarily representative of everyone in the African-American culture. African-American identity is diverse and cannot be typified by one personality

*Don't let the experience be less real to white students just because they aren't black. They can celebrate the importance of another culture irregardless. Through this experience they will gain a sense of their own cultural identity (YES, "white" people have cultures as much as African-Americans!)

*Don't necessarily follow what dominant culture or the media is doing. Oftentimes, minorities are represented unfairly in texts, media images, curriculum guides and other material you might use as a teacher. 

There is a great deal to be learned from the Book,  Don't Believe the Hype by Farai Chideya :

"...American journalism is often misleading, myopic and unreliable when it comes to detailing the lives of African-Americans...The problem with this skewed presentation is not simply that it is incorrect. The larger dilemma is that many white Americans have little to base their knowledge of African-Americans on but what they see, hear, and read in the media." 
(Chapter 1)

Chideya focuses here on how media images can hurt our trust and relationships with African-Americans. Think of how this happens in your classroom with Deaf students:
 

-Do you use visual materials which show real African Americans from all walks of life?
-Do you use appropriate ASL signs to portray cultural identity? 

Any activity you do with your students will depend upon their age, developmental and cognitive levels. In general, in order for you to integrate a Multicultural/Anti-bias philosophy into your instruction of African American history, use the following as a guide:

There is an incredible amount of appropriate activities which would facilitate learning about African American history, therefore we will present on example of what an appropriate activity might be for middle school Deaf children in a Bilingual/Bicultural program {a program which they have full access to visual  language}.

Sample Activity Plan: (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) 
African American History within the theme of Today and Yesterday with a 5th grade classroom
by Robert Shaffer

"WHAT IF THERE WERE NO BLACK PEOPLE . . ."*
adapted by Robert Shaffer from the National Black Deaf Association's website: www.nbda.org
*The term, "black" is used here because it is widely accepted by the African-American community. Every reference to "black men and women" in the following story could easily be changed to "African-American men and women".
 

This is a story of a little boy named Theo, who woke up one morning and
asked his Dad, "What if there were no Black people in the world?" Well, his Dad
thought about that for a moment and then said, "Son, follow me around today
and let's just see what it would be like if there were no Black people in
the world. Get dressed and we will get started."

Theo ran to his room to put on his clothes and shoes. But there were no
shoes, and his clothes were all wrinkled. He looked for the iron, but when
he reached for the ironing board, it was no longer there. You see Sarah
Boone, a Black woman, invented the ironing board and Jan E. Matzelinger, a
Black man, invented the shoe lasting machine.

"Oh well, Theo's Dad said, go and do your hair." Theo ran in his room to comb his
hair, but the comb was not there. You see, Walter Sammons, a Black man,
invented the comb. Theo decided to just brush his hair, but the brush was
gone. You see, Lydia O. Newman, a Black female invented the brush. Well, he
was a sight, no shoes, wrinkled clothes, hair a mess without the hair care
inventions of Madam C.J. Walker, well, you get the picture.

Theo's Dad  told him, "Let's do the chores around the house and then take a trip
to the grocery store." Theo's job was to sweep the floor. He swept and
swept and swept. When he reached for the dustpan, it was not there. You
see, Lloyd P. Ray, a Black man, invented the dustpan. So he swept his pile
of dirt over in the corner and left it there. He then decided to mop the
floor, but the mop was gone. You see, Thomas W. Stewart, a Black man,
invented the mop.

Theo thought to himself, "I'm not having any luck." 
"Well son, we should wash the clothes and prepare a list for the grocery store." 
When he was finished, Theo went to place the clothes in the dryer, but it was
not there. You see, George T. Samon, a Black man, invented the clothes
dryer.

Theo got a pencil and some paper to prepare the list for the market, but
noticed that the pencil lead was broken, well he was out of luck because
John Love, a black man, invented the pencil sharpener. He reached for a
pen, but it was not there because William Purvis, a Black man, invented the
fountain pen. As a matter of fact, Lee Burridge invented the type writing
machine, and W.A.Lavette, the printing press.

So they decided to head out to the market. Well, when Theo opened the door,
he noticed the grass was as high as he was tall. You see the lawn mower was
invented by John Burr, a Black man. They made their way over to the car and
found that it just wouldn't go, You see, Robert Spikes, a Black man,
invented the automatic gear shift and Joseph Gammel invented the
supercharge system for internal combustion engines. They noticed that the
few cars that were moving were running into each other and having wrecks
because there were no traffic signals. You see, Garrett A. Morgan, a Black
man invented the traffic light.

Well, it was getting late, so they walked to the market, got their
groceries and returned home. Just when they were about to put away the
milk, eggs and butter, they noticed the refrigerator was gone. You see,
John Standard, a Black man, invented the refrigerator. So they put the food
on the counter. By this time, they noticed it was getting mighty cold. Theo
went to turn up the heat and what do you know, Alice Parker, a Black
woman, invented the heating furnace. Even in the summer time they would
have been out of luck because Frederick Jones, a Black man, invented the
air conditioner.

It was almost time for Theo's mother to arrive home from work. She usually took the
bus, but there was no bus because its precursor was the electric trolley,
invented by another Black man, Elbert T. Robinson. She usually took the
elevator from his office on the 20th floor, but there was no elevator
because Alexander Miles, a Black man, invented the elevator.

She usually dropped off the office mail at a nearby mailbox, but it was no
longer there because Phillip Downing, a Black man, invented the letter drop
mailbox and William Barry invented the postmarking and canceling machine.

Theo and his Dad sat at the kitchen table, Theo with his head in his hands. When his mother
arrived, he asked them, "Why are you sitting in the dark?" 
Why?? Because Lewis Howard Latimer, a Black man, invented the filament within the light bulb.

Theo quickly learned what it would be like if there were no Black people In
the world.

Not to mention if he were ever sick and needed blood. Charles Drew, a Black
scientist, found a way to preserve and store blood which led to his
starting the world's first blood bank.

And what if a family Member had to have surgery? This would not have been
possible without Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a Black doctor, who performed
the first open heart surgery.

So if you ever wonder, like Theo, where we would be without Blacks? Well,
it's pretty plain to see, we could very well still be in the dark!!!
 
 
 

 Recommended Links:
 

 Project Approach A useful tool in designing a curriculum based on interaction using multimedia and technology. This site specifically designed for younger children and hands-on learning which coincides nicely with a multicultural/anti-bias philosophy. 

American Sign Language is a rich language with a wide variety of differences in how it is used, due to dialect or cultural background. Many times signs (like words) can be derogatory and politically limiting toward people from a particular culture or language, or who have a physical difference, sexuality, hair color et cetera. 
As teachers, we must be ever aware of our appropriate use of ASL signs when talking about culture or personal identity.  What signs are culturally appropriate? 

At Gallaudet University, it is generally accepted to sign BLACK, though we have seen  AFRICA-AMERICA-PERSON used just as readily.   There has been much debate about a variant form of ASL used by the Black Deaf community.  This mirrors the debate over Ebonics:  whether or not "Black English" is a separate language entirely or a dialect of English.  The same could be said of "Black ASL".

Regardless of whether we think Black English is a form of English or Black ASL as a form of ASL, it is important for us as educators to respect the form of language which is used at the home, in the child's ethnic community and at school. 

Books:
 

 Deaf Heritage, by Jack Gannon This has been one of the most influential and comprehensive books about Deaf history ever written. Dr. Gannon is currently working on revisions to his book, which should be out very soon.  There is mention of famous African American Deaf men and women, as well as a nice history of the segregated Deaf schools around the U.S.. This is a must for all teachers of the Deaf. 
The link above connects you to Gallaudet University Press.
 
Drama of Color: Improvisation with Multiethnic Folklore, by Johnny Saldana. (ISBN:0-435-08667-7): A must-see book, especially for those of us who will incorporate drama into the curriculum. Drama of Color is most appropriate for children ages 8 and above, but the games and stories can be adapted for younger children. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Creative Resources for the Anti-Bias Classroom, by Nadia Saderman Hall (ISBN: 0-8273-8015-1) A wonderful supplement to the book Anti-Bias Curriculum. A resource for games and activities for children birth to 12.  

Music:
 

 Sonicnet.comA great resource for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing children who want to experience the music of a wide variety of artists, including African-Americans. Music from African-Americans includes classical, jazz, blues, R&B, rap, rock and pop, virtually every category of music is represented here. 

Children's Books:
 

 Bright Lights Children's Books     A wonderful way to access and purchase books with multicultural themes, great selection of rare or hard-to-find books on African American history and cultural identity. Easier to find multicultural books than on Amazon.com!

 Deaf and African American Children    This link, written by a student at Kent State University, provides basic information regarding the cultural definitions of African American Deaf people, as well as exploring the educational implications of teaching Deaf African Americans.

 National Black Deaf Association (NBDA) A great organization to contact by phone, email or TTY which offers contacts in your area, local  clubs and organizations for Deaf African American people. 

Curriculum Resources:
 

 The African American Journey From World Book Encyclopedia. Is a history of African-Americans from 300 years ago to the present. While not as detailed as a curriculum should become, this site does provide a non-biased representation of historical events. Also links to a fun page, other World Book sites, an interactive quiz on African-American History and has pictures which make the site very visually appealing.

Equity Materials Collection of Curricula for teachers who want to start teaching and integrating the ethics of equity into their classroom. Has at least 20 different curricula, which can be purchased from the Eisenhower National Clearlinghouse, on the topic of equity in the classroom, including the areas of math, science and language arts.

This Webpage is part of a collaborative effort for Multicultural Foundations in Education at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Gallaudet is the world's only liberal arts University specifically designed for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing people. 

Please note that while we tried to be sensitive to cultural and linguistic issues and identity of African-Americans, we might be horribly wrong about statements made in this webpage.  Contact any one of us for comments, suggestions or criticisms.
 

 Who we are and how to contact us:

 
Jessica Baron
 jessica.baron@gallaudet.edu

Andrea Guettler
 GUETRAND@aol.com

Robert Shaffer
 ecoloumbe@hotmail.com

Joanne Witko
 joanne.witko@gallaudet.edu