Searching for Ourselves: African Cultural Representation in Children’s Books in the United States, and Implications for Educational Achievement

Author

Lulama Moyo, Clark UniversityFollow

Date of Award

5-2017

Degree Type

Research Paper

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Community Development and Planning (CDP)

Department

International Development, Community and Environment

Chief Instructor

Nigel Brissett

Second Reader

Laurie Ross

Keywords

Multicultural Children's Literature Gap, African Diaspora, lack of representation, education, postcolonial, decolonization, Worcester, United States, publishing statistics, picture books

Abstract

Using documentary and discourse analysis of children’s literature I explore the extent to which there is a multicultural gap in children’s literature to reveal the prevailing challenges of the colonized and Eurocentric values embedded in the contemporary education system that supports the monocultural socialization of young children in their early formative years. I translate my research through examining four thematic ways on how the multicultural gap is manifested which are subject matter, the lack of African writers, degree of complexity of diasporic experiences, and confronting whiteness. By focusing more specifically on the gap in African diasporic children literature, I review children’s books to determine 1) whether the demographic of African immigrant, refugee, asylum seeker learner populations are being well represented in children’s literature, and 2) what kind of multicultural frames this literature represents. Ultimately, I acknowledge new movements to diversify children’s literature, and make my own suggestions for improvement.

Recommended Citation

Moyo, Lulama, "Searching for Ourselves: African Cultural Representation in Children’s Books in the United States, and Implications for Educational Achievement" (2017). International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE). 114.
https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/114