7 Inappropriate (and Often Racist) Moments in Textbooks

Although textbooks are used as learning tools, there are times -- especially when providing information on Black people -- that there is not much to learn and more to cringe over. Here are seven inappropriate and often racist moments in textbooks. Slavery was Beneficial To Black People Elias Isquith from Salon Media Group reported that Arizona public charter schools were criticized for using controversial and racist textbooks by Cleon Skousen. According to legal scholar, Garrett Epps one of the textbooks argues that slavery was beneficial to African-Americans and that Southern racism was caused by the ‘intrusion’ of Northern abolitionists and advocates of equality for the freed slaves.” Another Skousen book also states "if ran naked it was generally from choice, and when the white boys had to put on shoes and go away to school they were likely to envy the freedom of their colored playmates.” Black Women and Anorexia From a textbook as an unknown source, it states that Black women of the U.S. are statistically least likely to be anorexic. According to 11 Points, the editors "going with a stock photo of three black women of normal weight laughing sends up the knee jerk political correctness flags," which makes for an uncomfortable read. The Black Boyfriend In what appears to be a textbook for students learning German, an example of a white woman's family disliking her Black boyfriend was used as a way to use the term "trouble" within a sentence. According to 11 Points, it states in English and in the German translation "Audrey got into trouble with her family when they found out she was seeing a black man." Promoting European Standards of Beauty Jermaine Francis reports in the Jamaica Gleaner in the article "'Racist' Textbook Draws Ire of Parents, Educators" in the Caribbean, a textbook titled Creative English for Caribbean Primary Schools: Level 2 written by Clifford Narinesingh and published by the Trinidadian publisher, Royards Publishing Co. outraged many. The concern of many Black parents and educators was that it was promoting a European and Eurocentric standard of beauty to impressionable Black children. The text states in a section, "Nita has brown eyes and neatly trimmed eyelashes. Her hair is long and black and is always neatly combed. A round face with slender nose and brown complexion make her pretty and likable." 'The Negro is Slothful' According to Magical Urbanism, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found an historic geography textbook predated to the Civil War titled The Geographical Reader for the Dixie Children by Marinda Branson Moore. The text states: The African or negro race is found in Africa. They are slothful and vicious, but possess little cunning. They are very cruel to each other, and when they have want they sell their prisoners to the white people for slaves. They know nothing of Jesus, and the climate in Africa is so unhealthy that white men can scarcely go there to preach to them. The slaves who are found in America are in much better condition. They are better fed, better clothed, and better instructed than in their native country. 'Slaves Were Treated Well' The Boston Globe staff writer, James H. Barnett III in an article titled "Brookline removes textbook over passage about slavery" states, "A fifth-grade textbook criticized for downplaying the ills of slavery in America has been removed from Brookline public school classrooms." One of the most problematic sections was a passage that stated, “Slaves were treated well or cruelly, depending on their owners. Some planters took pride in being fair and kind to their slaves.” The Critique of West Africa Jonathan Burack of The Textbook League argues that several textbooks distort the narrative of the enslavement of African people by downplaying that in many West African societies slavery was very prominent. Some may counter-argue that enslavement in West Africa was not as egregious as the Atlantic Slave Trade.

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