Black Lives Matter in Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice

Jacqueline Leonard

doi:10.21423/jume-v13i1Ba404

Authors

Jacqueline Leonard University of Wyoming https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1221-4156

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/jume-v13i1Ba404

Keywords:

Black Lives Matter, Mathematics Education, Social Justice

Abstract

Prior to becoming a mathematics educator, I was a teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Because of the success I experienced with culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), it became part of my research agenda along with teaching mathematics for social justice (TMfSJ). Databases like 23andme and Ancestry can be used as a context for CRP and TMfSJ. Data related to education, occupation, military service, and voting records can be accessed online. Our ancestors’ experiences can shape our identity and serve as powerful tools for contextualizing mathematics. The stories and counterstories of African Americans can be problematized to show Black lives matter.

Author Biography

Jacqueline Leonard, University of Wyoming

Professor University of Colorado Denver

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