The Spirit of Our Work: Black Women Teachers (Re)member

In this work intended primarily for Black women preparing to teach Black children, Dillard (dean, Coll. of Education, Seattle Univ.) aims to emphasize the humanity and spirituality central to Black identity and thus help educators repair the damage resulting from centuries of pain endured by Black communities in the United States. Dillard’s book is centered on her decades spent leading the Ghana Study Abroad in Education program, connecting her students—undergraduate and graduate and educators—to a vibrant and confident Black society where they can integrate a new awareness of Black strengths and achievements into their professional development. Dillard’s language is poetic as she conveys her vision of Black excellence and determination and tells stories of meeting successful Ghanaian women and visiting the slave markets that link Africa to its diaspora.