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Difficulty: MediumBlack Education, HBCUs, and Philosophical Debates

Read the following excerpt from an address delivered by educator Alexander Crummell at the founding of the American Negro Academy in 1897:

'The demand of the hour is for the highest training of the best minds of the race, for the purposes of leadership, of guidance, and of defense... We need men of scholarly culture, who can stand before the world as champions of our cause, who can expose the sophistries of our detractors, and who can lead the masses into the paths of light and knowledge.'

Which of the following educational philosophies from the late nineteenth century is most closely aligned with the perspective expressed in Crummell's address?

  1. A
    The focus on industrial and agricultural education to secure immediate economic independence within the southern labor system
  2. B
    The abandonment of American citizenship in favor of emigration to Africa to build independent educational institutions
  3. The development of a college-educated elite to lead social and political advocacy for civil rightsAnswer
  4. D
    The limitation of advanced education to theological training sponsored exclusively by independent Black churches

Answer

The development of a college-educated elite to lead social and political advocacy for civil rights
The option advocating for the development of a college-educated elite to lead social and political advocacy for civil rights is correct because Crummell's emphasis on cultivating a scholarly elite to defend the race and guide the masses directly foreshadows the liberal arts leadership model and W.E.B. Du Bois's 'Talented Tenth' concept.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the excerpt to identify the speaker's core educational goals.
The speaker advocates for 'the highest training of the best minds' to produce 'scholarly culture' for the purposes of 'leadership, of guidance, and of defense' for the race.
Understanding the primary source's emphasis on academic scholarship and leadership helps identify the core philosophy.
2
Compare the identified goals with major late nineteenth-century educational philosophies.
Crummell's view directly aligns with the classical liberal arts model and the concept of an intellectual vanguard, which contrasts with the focus on vocational/industrial training.
Connecting the primary source to broader historical debates determines the correct context.

Key Concept

The debate over classical liberal arts education versus vocational/industrial training for African Americans in the late nineteenth century.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Black Education, HBCUs, and Philosophical Debates

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