Politics, economics and culture in the production of African American and Native American education

Economic theories of educational expansion do not adequately explain the development of Black and Indian education during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Using a series of regression models to examine the relationship between local economic measures and Black education, I found that the relationship differed from that predicted by the economic theories. The relationship between Black political incorporation variables and Black education suggests that Black political action was the major factor, while the structure of local economies provided a constraint on Black political power. Using archival research, I focused on the development of Black and Indian industrial (vocational) schools. Despite the overt goal of integrating young people into the economy, these schools were primarily driven by a cultural imperative to "civilize" Blacks and Indians. Industrial education proponents saw "work" as a way to build the character of the masses of poor Blacks and Indians. The centrality of work in this effort as well as in the recent welfare reform came from desires to "improve poor people," not deal with their material needs.