Going in Circles: Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore, Maa Kherew, Part I
Updated: Jan 31
By Dr. Gloria Latimore-Peace
Presented by Omni-U Virtual University
Let me admit, at the outset, that I love Ancestor Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore, Maa Kherew, with all my heart. From the very first moment I heard her speak, I bonded not only with her message but, with her spirit as well. In time, I was fortunate enough to become her student, in the Master's degree program at Northeastern Illinois University's Center for Inner City Studies, [1] where I subsequently became Faculty member as well. I am still following in her footsteps and, were I to take credit for being named Professor Emerita at Northeastern Illinois University, I would say that I have been blessed "to stand on her shoulders.
But, I dare not make such claims since Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore, Maa Kherew, remains light years ahead of most of the educators with whom I have been acquainted, by whom I've been taught, or about whom I have read. I am grateful that I was able to have her as my guest on The H30 Art of Life Show, "Going in Circles," just prior to the publication of her book, "Walking in Circles: The Black Struggle for School Reform."
There she was, sitting across from me, as fierce an Intellectual Warrior as she had ever been. And, although she was in the process of transitioning, because of a terminal illness, her focus was not on her declining state of health. It was centered instead, on finishing her book."
In one of her earlier speeches, she had reiterated its thesis which was the subject and opening statement of the message cited here: "Black people still don't get it!" If you take a moment to think about it, you will come to realize that this is a sad state of affairs for any people- at any time- most especially in times like the one we are currently in.But, what is the "it" that Black people still don't get? And, what is inferred by emphasizing the "still?"
As a devotee of her community, the welfare of its people- especially Our children- was her priority. As a consummate educator, she demonstrated that devotion in word, deed, and sacrifice. She recognized and stood up to the forces that threatened Our progress and well-being- including the personnel and the institutions that continue to devise and implement ways to stunt our growth.
It must have been challenging for Dr Sizemore, Maa Kherew as well as for others who came before and/or were her contemporaries, to continue to struggle while fighting - not only Our legions of adversaries-but even Us- the ones for whom she continued to fight until she joined Our Ancestors.
Knowing that some of Our people "still don't get it" was not a deterrent for Dr. Sizemore, Maa Kherew - nor can it be for any of us who are serious about our survival and development as a people. When she declared, "Black people must take care of their lives and those of their children,"[2] she was speaking, not only as a mother but, also as an educator whose life was centered on paying attention and working to eliminate "what's happening to our children in the public schools." It was the height of irony that, although there were many Black teachers in the public schools, she should have been among the few- Ancestor Bobby E. Wright, Maa Khterew and Ancestor Hannibal T. Afrik, Maa Kherew among them- who was aware of, and took action against, what Useni Eugene Perkins identified as "the social oppression of Black children."[3]
Yet, despite the risks all of them took and the sacrifices each of them made, Our people "still" don't seem to get the message that we must take responsibility- not only for the "content of our children's characters" -but also for the equally essential “content of their education.”
Baba Hannibal, Maa Kherew, was among the community leaders who fought for "community control of the public schools" because he understood that it is virtually impossible for the Black community to influence, not to mention to take responsibility for, that which is outside of Our control. This is a large part of the "it" that we "still" don't seem to get. Concomitant with that "large part," is the fact that the vast majority of the children enrolled in the public schools are Black and children "of color." Thus, it stands to reason that the CommUnity whose children occupy those classrooms are major stakeholders and therefore, must play a major role in what is “happening” to Our children in those spaces.
Needless to say, We could not have known "what was happening" in those classrooms had we not had people on whom we could rely to keep us informed like Dr. Sizemore, Maa Kherew, to keep us informed as well as to go beyond the call of duty to protect the interests of Our children and OurCommUnity. Then- as now-there were clear indications then that what is ”happening” is not what We, as a CommUnity, have predetermined as the outcomes we want to see.
But, what should be the educational goals for Our children and Our CqommUnity? What ought We seek to have Our children learn? What are Our roles relative to the educational processes that affect not only Our children but Our CommUnity as well? Do we want Our children to go to school only to be "educated" to get a "good job" working for others so that they can only become another generation of consumers? Or, do we want them to learn to "do for self," i.e., to become producers and, thereby, to "make a living" as Ancestor Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Maa Kherew, urged us to do in his landmark work, "The Mis Education of the Negro."
The roster of Distinguished Black Ancestors, many of whom, like Dr. Woodson, Maa Kherew, were educators includes:
Dr. Barbara A.Sizemore, Maa Kherew
Dr. Donald Smith, Maa Kherew
Dr. Margaret, T.G. Burroughs , Maa Kherew
Dr. Jacob H. Carruthers, Maa Kherew, and psychologists such as Dr. Bobby E. Wright, Maa Kherew
Dr. Patricia A. Newton, Maa Kherew, and Dr. Amos N. Wilson Maa Kherew, et al. Each of them did everything possible to provide the answers to the foregoing questions.
How is it that, despite all of their efforts, we are still "going in circles?" How can it be that, after all this time, this blood, this sweat, these tears, Dr. Barbara, Maa Kherew, could bemoan the fact that We "still don't get it," that We still don't get the fact that "nobody is going to save Us, but Us" [4]- not because We are not valued by the Most High- in whose image and likeness We are made. More likely than not, "We don't get it" because We keep forgetting who We are and Whose We are. Moreover, We continue to abdicate our responsibility to teach these self-evident truths to Our children. Thus, having lost the Way, we keep "walking in circles."
"We have to get it together, Black America," declared Dr. Sizemore, Maa Kherew, If We are serious about improving Our overall conditions We have to get it together so that We can liberate Ourselves from dependency on sources that have proven themselves to be unreliable. However, in order to get "it" together, We must first get together, i.e., unify.
For the sake of Our children and the survival of our CommUnity. Let Us get it Together!!! If not Us, who? If not now, when? The Struggle Continues…"
BlogNotes
[1] The Center for Inner City Studies has since been renamed The Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies
[2] "Get it Together, Black America" Lecture by Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore, Maa Kherew (Link below)
[3] Home Is A Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children by Useni Eugene Perkins, Maa Kherew
[4] Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
"To Barbara With Love" Featuring: Dr. Kymara Chase and Dr. Hazel Stewart.
CPS: Open for Business? Featuring: Ancestor Karen Lewis, Former President of the Chicago Teachers Union
Recommended Reading:
Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore. Walking in Circles: The Black Struggle for School Reform
Dr. Jacob H.Carruthers. Intellectual Warfare
Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs."What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black?::..."
Useni Eugene Perkins. Home Is A Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children
Kiarri T.H.Cheatwood. The Race: Matters Concerning Pan Afrikan History, Culture, and Genocide
Kiarri T.-H. Cheatwood. To Save the Blood of Black Babies
Lerone Bennett, Jr. Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream
Ishakamusa Barashango. African Genesis
Dr. Chancellor Williams. The Destruction of Black Civilization
Dr. Bobby E. Wright. The Psychopathic Racial Personality and Other Essays
Dr. Amos N. Wilson. The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness
Dr. John G. Jackson. Man, God, and Civilization
Dr. John Henrik Clarke. Christopher Columbus and the African Holocaust
Dr. Yosef Ben- Jochannan. Cultural Genocide in the Black and African Studies Curriculum
Dr. Walter A.McCray. The Black Presence in the Bible and the Table of Nations
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