Pedagogy of Survival ― The Narratives of Millicent E. Brown and Josephine Boyd Bradley

With particular focus on the first-hand narratives of two desegregation pioneers—their stories, sufferings, and pedagogy of survival—this book gives voice to unsung heroes and the often overlooked view of the adolescent perspective to address the question of how one can endure and thrive in the midst of hardship and tragedy. While enduring her own personal trauma, the author wrestled with the question, “How will I survive?” The answer, she discovered, was in the actual act of surviving and in the navigational strategies she employed and witnessed in the lives of others. In Pedagogy of Survival, the author uses the narratives of ordinary people to highlight extraordinary lessons of perseverance. The integration of historical and present-day change agents challenges readers to examine their own lives and see that they, too, have the ability to not merely withstand trials, but to become agents of change. Everyone has a story that matters and can serve as a lesson for someone else. So what is your story? How will you use it to help others? Ultimately, what is your pedagogy of survival?

Karen Meadows is the Supervisor of K-8 Counseling in Guilford County Schools in North Carolina. She is an adjunct professor in the School of Education at North Carolina A&T State University, earning her PhD at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Educational Leadership. Her research and teaching interests include social justice, school reform, and personal empowerment via cultural narratives. She is an educational presenter, trainer, and consultant at the local, national, and international levels.