A sound of alarm rings for the literary crisis in urban communities

Written by Nicole D. Miller

An Age-Old Issue

In 2019, the Nation’s Report Card found that African Americans were among the lowest-scoring subgroups of proficient readers in 4th grade in public schools nationwide. This report is alarming to say the least and demands an adequate response. 

Visionary, Educator, and Executive Producer Cortland Jones teamed up with Film Producer/Director and businessman Dion Johnson and fellow Educator, business partner and Executive Producer Shauna F. King to give that response. Their documentary, “Forever Free & the Illiteracy Playbook,” offers one-of-a-kind insight into the literacy crisis in America. Featured at the 50th celebration of the Cleveland International Film Festival, it takes a hard look at the intentionally designed system that keeps the privileged in power. Including testimonies from boots-on-the-ground teachers, credible sources in the prison system, and professionals from a wide scope in the education system,

it is made clear that children are suffering in classrooms. It’s also made clear why they are suffering. In this profound exposé of systemic oppression via the tool of literacy, the historically elusive question, “Why are people of color still oppressed?” finally gets answered.

“Once you learn to read, you’ll be forever free,“ stated well-known abolitionist and Civil Rights Leader Frederick Douglass. This statement prompted Jones to dive deeper into the onset of this imbalance in American education. In his quest to uncover the truth, the issue of slavery arose. The trio (Jones, Johnson, and King) joined forces to highlight the history of illiteracy in America, whose deep roots in anti-literacy laws prohibited enslaved people from learning to read.

Exposing the System

The film establishes that slave owners used anti-literacy laws to keep the enslaved from obtaining knowledge because knowledge breeds power. Once slavery was abolished, the formerly enslaved were (theoretically) free to pursue their education, and many did just that. Schools were established, and communities worked together to facilitate learning. When access to education increased, the tactic for maintaining power changed. In 1896, the Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson established the “separate but equal” doctrine.

This case legitimized segregation and Jim Crow laws in many states and made it okay for things to be separate as long as they were equal. Yet these laws promoted anything but equality. Though Black people were allowed “their own,” what they had in resources and quality paled drastically in comparison to whites. Where

white schools had 30 students per teacher, Black schools had 200 students per teacher. Black schools’ academic books were frequently falling apart, lacking book covers; school buses were constantly breaking down, school buildings were typically under code, and government funding skipped over Black schools, going straight to white schools. During the time of this blatant disparity, the “separate but equal” mantra blared from staunch segregationists and political leaders like Alabama Governor George Wallace. True equality would have allowed Blacks to get what they needed. The political system was in place to keep that from happening.

The Playbook

With the dismantling of segregation after Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) (the case that made segregation illegal) came a more covert form of inequality through de facto segregation. As the film details, the “playbook” shifted to allow people of color to legally attend more privileged schools but did not create a level playing field in opportunities for wealth, homeownership, business ownership, and other positions of power. In other words, education became legally accessible for Blacks, but they were too bogged down by a lack of resources to access it.

The “playbook” in the film is the agenda for systemic oppression:  1. Create Division 2. Control the Narrative. 3. Restrict Literacy, and homes in on this last piece. Without quality education, children will not have the opportunity to succeed in society. Typically, schools are faced with the “school-to-prison” pipeline, which reveals the trend of inner-city youth becoming incarcerated. Black students are more than 2x as likely to be referred to law enforcement and 3x as likely to receive out-of-school suspensions. According to the Legal Defense Fund, “Studies show that students of color receive harsher punishments for engaging in the same conduct as white students.” Concentrated poverty in urban areas increases the likelihood of poor education and future incarcerations for people of color. Literacy is a vital tool that can influence the outcomes of children’s destinies.

A Moral Obligation

It can seem overwhelming when facing the generational bleeding of children’s education in America. However, the efforts demonstrated during the Civil Rights Movement for equality serve as an example for current-day challenges. Though segregation hindered equality, one positive outcome was the rallying together of the community. As the documentary demonstrates, during this time, teachers were hands-on with students, dedicating 40+ years of their lives and impacting some of the greatest minds of our time. Ms. Flowers is portrayed as an educator who gave special attention to one shy student, encouraging her to learn and engage. That shy student grew up to be Pulitzer Prize winner and Civil Rights Activist, Maya Angelou.

The “village” mindset flourished under the duress of segregation. The lesson to this generation is to bring back that mindset. While today’s resources are more accessible to people of color, many people of color are still caught in the brutal trap of systemic oppression. Inner-city schools still have less. Teachers are still pouring out financially into their classrooms to make up for that lack. Children are still suffering.

The Literacy Movement

In an era when the history of slavery is being removed from schools, states hold the responsibility for divvying out resources to schools, and teachers are pressured to restrict curriculum, the call to the community sounds loudly. While a systemic, age-old issue cannot be solved overnight, today’s generation can do what those before them did to tackle it: start a movement.

Jones, Johnson, and King are doing their part. Their vision to establish literary networks and monthly events across the country, and to introduce the film and raise awareness of the issue, is their first step. The next ones involve developing policy proposals, engaging libraries, educational institutions, and city council members, and empowering audiences to dig deeper into their government representatives’ policies.

“The battle of literacy is built into the DNA of this country,” said Johnson. As history has shown, even amid a civil war, those on the side of right can achieve victory. 

But it will take the whole community.

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Nicole D. Miller is a 6x’s self-published award-winning author, tenured blogger, freelance journalist, hybrid book publisher, community activist, event hostess, podcaster, and urban fiction novelist. She takes immense pleasure in crafting stories that intertwine Black culture and faith. Via ND Miller Publishing LLC, Nicole personally provides hybrid publishing, ghostwriting, and one-on-one coaching services. All are offered at www.ndmillerpub. To unwind, she enjoys shopping, time with friends, and a good glass of dry red wine. More can be learned at nicoledmiller.com