Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2021
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
History
Degree Program
History, MA
Committee Chair
Crothers, Glenn
Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)
K'Meyer, Tracy
Committee Member
K'Meyer, Tracy
Committee Member
Wallace, Sherri
Author's Keywords
industrial education; African American; education; Jim Crow; Kentucky; higher education
Abstract
Under the racial hierarchy of Jim Crow, white politicians in Kentucky limited African American access to higher education. This practice resulted in a shortage of African American teachers and severely inhibited Black education across the state. Despite frequent criticism of the industrial model of education, African American educators in the region viewed the approach as an opportunity to gain white support for Black education. Two prominent educators, William J. Simmons and C.H. Parrish, gained the support of white elites and opened Eckstein Norton University in 1890. Their close association with prominent whites provided a degree of anonymity, enabling them to offer instruction in both industrial and traditional liberal arts subjects. In the face of personal tragedy, financial instability, and institutionalized discrimination, Eckstein Norton University educated many African Americans and improved the educational opportunities available to Black Kentuckians.
Recommended Citation
Dunn, Samuel, ""The only prize worth contending for": a history of Eckstein Norton University and the industrial model of education in Kentucky." (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3614.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/3614
