2010 Reprint of 1933 Edition. The Mis-Education of the Negro stands as one of the most essential texts of the African American experience. Within its pages are the lessons of a people "mis-educated" to think they are inferior based solely on the color of their skin. The aftermath is one of confusion in which the African American unsuccessfully mimics the behavior of whites in his learned self-hate, leaving the gifts of his culture behind. Woodson takes an in-depth view to analyze racism in the educational system; he argues that mis-educated blacks are a hindrance rather than an aid in the progression of the race. He states, "The large majority of negroes who have put on the finishing touches of our best colleges are all but worthless in the development of their people." In the end, he urges everyone (with no exception) to incorporate the history of African Americans into their curriculum and for African Americans to embrace the gifts of their own culture and trust them to bring progress to the race. For this reason he is known as the "Father of Black History".
