The Gatepost, October 2021
Arts & Ideas hosted the lecture, “Democratizing Schools: The African American Fight for Educational Justice in Massachusetts,” in person and on Zoom, featuring author Kabria Baumgartner Oct 13. Baumgartner is an associate professor of history and Africana Studies and associate director of public history at Northeastern University. She is the author of the book, “In Pursuit of Knowledge,” which is about Black women and educational activism in the Antebellum South. “In Pursuit of Knowledge” has won three book prizes including the 2020 Outstanding Book Award from the History of Education Society. Additionally, Baumgartner has been recognized for her university service. Prior to working at Northeastern, she worked at the University of New Hampshire where she was named the 2019 Outstanding Assistant Professor.
Baumgartner opened the lecture by discussing the importance of the fight for educational justice in the 19th century and its relevance today. “I find that it is forgotten history that needs to be recovered and discussed,” she said. She said there are four education movements historians often talk about.
