School clothes: A collective memoir of Black student witness By Jarvis R.Givens, Boston, MA: Beacon Press. 2023. 240 pp. $16.94 (Paperback version). ISBN: 9780807054819

In 19th and 20th century America, Black students were active participants in their own educational histories. This is the central theme of Jarvis R. Givens' second book; School Clothes: A Collective Memoir of Black Student Witness (2023). School Clothes, a sequel to his first book, Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching (2021), explores the lives of Black students through over 100 narratives from archival entries. These narratives span key historical periods including chattel slavery, emancipation, segregation, reconstruction, and the Jim Crow era. Givens' first book highlighted Carter G. Woodson, a key figure in Black history and the originator of Negro History Week, now Black History Month. The practice of “fugitive pedagogy” by Woodson and other Black educators provides a foundation for Givens' exploration of Black students' experiences in his second book. School Clothes offers a chrono-thematic compilation of Black student experiences, showcasing their agency and resistance in a hostile educational landscape. The book explores themes such as the tensions between education and racial capitalism, debates around Black intelligence, experiences of desegregation, literacy challenges, and political activism. It serves as a historical reconstruction of Black education from the perspective of students as active participants in history, filling a crucial gap in the historical narrative. Despite facing strong opposition, Black students engaged in subversive literacy activities, such as reading in dug-out holes, concealing books, and discreetly walking to places of instruction to avoid detection by White masters. These actions challenged the portrayal of Black students as passive objects and affirmed their agency in shaping historical narratives. The title School Clothes gradually unveils its metaphorical significance, representing cultural armor, aspirations for renewal, and a proclamation of dignity and self-worth. For Black students, school attire served as a symbolic “veil,” concealing their subversive quest for knowledge—what Givens terms “fugitive learning”—amidst overt discrimination. This is exemplified by civil laws prohibiting Black education and later by the reduction of Black school terms to accommodate cotton picking, and separate but unequal schools. Within this “veil,” students forged literate identities for themselves. Moreover, school clothes embodied the tangible expression of Black aspirations to attain full humanity and redefine their image, countering the social narrative that depicted them as the mere “property of the Whiteman” during slavery. It embodied a fresh vision of education's potential for emancipated slaves. Givens aligns the concept of the “veil” with Du Bois' description of being born with a caul or veil, a notion also echoed by Givens' eighth-grade teacher. He integrates his personal perspective into the narrative through his experiences as a Black student taught by Black educators during his pre-college years. These personal accounts serve as an interpretive lens for the stories recounted in the book. Each of the six chapters begins with excerpts from Black literary works or autobiographies. Excerpts and stories are presented in the author's own words without altering spelling or grammar. Instead, Givens meticulously presents the experiences of Black students as they perceived them, often quoting passages extensively, an approach that preserves the authenticity of their experiences. In Chapter 1, Givens establishes that opposition to Black education predates the inception of the United States. He uses vivid narratives of Black students like Alexander Crummell, Henry Highland Garnet, and Charlotte Forten to describe how anti-Black laws in the North opposed Black educational pursuits. Their stories challenge the perceived dichotomy between the “free” North and the slave-owning South regarding educational opportunities for Black students. Chapter 2 describes how Black students and their families navigated anti-literacy laws in the antebellum South through “fugitive learning.” Figures like William Sanders Scarborough and Suzy King Taylor exemplify this clandestine pursuit of education, portraying Black literacy as a form of community service and resistance. Chapter 3 explores Black education during the Jim Crow era. The experiences of Black students like William Holtzclaw reveal the clash between their educational aspirations and oppressive societal expectations in the aftermath of slavery. Despite the violent environment, Black students developed critical awareness and interpretive skills to navigate their world. In Chapter 4, Givens uses extensive quotations from sources to illustrate Black students' agency in shaping their own literate identities. Ida Mae Holland's account of a Black school preparing for integration in Mississippi highlights the importance of “Black pedagogy” in interpreting texts and contexts. Chapter 5 discusses how songs served as expressions of solidarity and struggle among Black students. It also covers the origins of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” written by James Weldon Johnson, a civil rights activist and principal of Jacksonville's Stanton School. Chapter 6 highlights the impact of early Black educators like Mary McLeod Bethune, whose dedication and rich educational traditions profoundly influenced post-emancipation Black communities. They passed the torch of Black pedagogy to subsequent generations of educators like Ms. Hutchinson, Givens' high school teacher. In School Clothes, Givens traces the history of Black education through students' testimonies. Though some readers might find his repetition of text and quotes redundant, the book holds implications for Black teacher education. It is an essential reading for courses in the history of education, as well as for anyone interested in understanding and effectively educating Black students. Elizabeth Biney is a dedicated educator with over two decades of experience in teaching and STEM education. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Culture at the University of Texas at El Paso, Elizabeth combines extensive practical knowledge with advanced academic research to innovate and improve educational practices. As a fellow of the Preparing Future Faculty program, Elizabeth focuses on making learning environments more equitable, fostering student engagement, and advancing inclusive pedagogical strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners.