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ERIC Number: EJ1149673
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 19
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1535-0584
EISSN: N/A
Is Rosa Still Tired? Revisiting Kohl's Myths in Contemporary Picture Books
Groce, Eric; Bellows, M. Elizabeth; McClure, Greg; Daigle, Elizabeth; Heafner, Tina; Fox, Brandon
American Educational History Journal, v41 n2 p411-429 2014
In 1991, Herbert Kohl argued against the inaccurate and incomplete story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott that appeared prominently within texts and trade books of that era (Kohl 1991). He contended the biased perspective stripped Montgomery's African American community of their courage, intelligence, and moral conviction. Kohl identified seven myths embedded within the common representation of Ms. Parks' story in the literature and called for a more accurate representation of the events leading up to the Montgomery Bus Boycott that centers the story on deliberate, organized, and powerful efforts that led to social change. This article examines how children's literature published since Kohl's critique has treated the story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott and discusses implications of this study's findings. This study employed a critical qualitative content analysis design, featuring purposive sampling to identify relevant cases within the selected picture books. Quality measures for the study included prolonged engagement and triangulation through multiple investigators to address internal validity and the construction of an audit trail to address reliability concerns. Analysis revealed that many of the same variables Kohl (1991) identified as areas of concern over twenty years ago continue to plague contemporary children's picture books. Under "Prolonged Activism," Rosa Parks was recognized for participation in organized public support of civil rights issues in only three books. Within the "Segregation" cluster of variables, mixed results were found. The cluster of variables, "Community Involvement," includes issues regarding engagement of other community members in planning, leading, or participating in activities connected to the bus boycott. The selection of books used for this study was limited to books that were easily available and published in the last ten years. Other books may more fully address the issues Kohl identified in his critique.
IAP - Information Age Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 79049, Charlotte, NC 28271-7047. Tel: 704-752-9125; Fax: 704-752-9113; e-mail: infoage@infoagepub.com; Web site: http://www.infoagepub.com/american-educational-history-journal.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Information Analyses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A