William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
Abstract
Education is a critical part of nation-building. More specifically, it can also be a powerful pathway to liberty and a tool for disseminating knowledge. However, historically it has been used to subjugate and censor vulnerable groups like women, socio-economically disadvantaged persons, as well as men of color. Therefore, to avoid subordinating members of such minoritized groups and suppressing uncomfortable historical facts, advocates must continually evaluate the purpose and method of education. Such persistent monitoring can provide a basis for constructive reform of public education in the United States. Such reform must also consider changing social conditions.
Presently, for example, public education is at the center of culture wars involving issues such as censorship and the ongoing battles for access to quality education. In addition, efforts have mushroomed to prevent the teaching of comprehensive, fact-based American history and to silence discussion of marginalized groups. To effectively understand this crisis, there is a need to better understand the historical relationship between public education, representative government, and liberty.
In this fraught context, this Article excavates history and narratives important to the goal of an educated citizenry and liberated society to show that America has been here before. The Article’s overarching goals are to show the subjective practices of education in the Colonial, Antebellum, and Postbellum eras in Virginia, the birthplace of America. The Article also aims to amplify the narratives of formerly enslaved and free Black Americans who leveraged education to achieve liberty and contribute to the democratic project. Further, this Article underscores the significance of access to a quality and robust education for advancing equality and empowerment—and, ultimately, freedom.