1. Research & Initiatives
  2. Research Centers & Labs
  3. Research Labs
  4. Race and Public Education in the South
  5. Our Projects

Our Projects

We seek to support research and scholarship on a variety of issues that lie at the intersection of race, education, and schooling in the southern United States. Social scientists have largely ignored the education of youths in the South, resulting in a lack of understanding of academic performance of students in this region. In addition, education in the South has historically been viewed as substandard due to regional stereotypes and a history of segregated education. Yet, the South was the epicenter of the civil rights movement that brought about greater democracy for all citizens, especially in the area of education. In addition, the South is considered by some scholars, as the birthplace of public education and the home of most Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which have produced an extraordinary number of leaders across education, business, medicine, and the sciences. Indeed, the South is a place of great complexity, paradox, and promise. We lean into the potential and promise of the South as a prominent location of culture, education, and history in U.S. society. We also keeps in mind that the South is not a monolithic region, but it is a diverse cultural and geographical region.  

We recognize research that has implications for a range of student populations in contemporary US schools, the role of STEM education in effecting students’ academic, social, and civic outcomes, and the role of public K-16 educational institutions in the South. We also explore the schooling experiences of students from transnational backgrounds. 

This page features ongoing and future research projects by affiliated faculty members.

Walter Ridley

Walter N. Ridley, UVA's first Black graduate, earned his Doctorate of Education in 1953.

Research Projects

  • Research Project

Teachers in the Movement

The project focuses on oral history interviews with elementary, secondary, and university teachers and educators about their participation in and efforts during the Civil Rights Movement.  The Civil Rights Movement was not racially monolithic. The project embraces a multicultural mindset to conduct interviews with educators of different races, ethnic backgrounds, class and social backgrounds.

  • Research Project

Carter G. Woodson Home Historic Site Study

The study is a collaborative effort between the Center for Race & Public Education in the South (CRPES) and the National Park Service to understand, advance knowledge of, and protect the integrity of the Carter G. Woodson Home, located in D.C.’s historic Shaw neighborhood. We are thus interested in interviewing individuals who have a historical or contemporary relationship to the Woodson home and/or Shaw neighborhood.

  • Research Project

Connecting the STEM Curriculum to Diversity and Democracy

Experiences and Practices in Courses Merging STEM and Social Issues that Strengthen Student Training and Diversity 

  • Research Project

Exploring How a University’s Historical Involvement in Slavery Relates to Black Students’ College Choice, Experiences, and Outcomes

This study examines whether a university’s history with slavery relates to black students’ college choice, sense of belonging, engagement, learning, and satisfaction.

  • Research Project

Latino Siblings School Transition Project

With this study, we aim to understand the role of multiple ecological contexts—primarily the family and school environments—in supporting the linguistic and literacy development of siblings whose main language at home is Spanish for children attending a bilingual immersion program.

  • Research Project

Dual Language Immersion: Benefits for English Learner (EL) and Non-EL Populations

This exploratory study aims to understand whether dual language immersion programs improve children self-regulation development, and whether improved language and self-regulation outcomes are associated with academic growth.

  • Research Project

Democratic Dialogue between Police and Low-Income Youth of Color

The study will examine, first, whether and how dialogue between youth of color and police shapes officers' beliefs and behavior in regard to these youth. Second, the study will examine whether and how low-income youth of color perceive dialogue as enhancing or undermining their well-being, sense of security, and civic agency.

The proposed study would investigate whether and how police and low-income youth of color learn from each other through dialogue and the ethical implications of asking them to do so. 

  • Research Project

Teen Reading Lounge, Beyond Books-Impacting Identity Development & Civic Engagement Among Urban African American Youth Pilot Project

This project will examine racial/ethnic inequality by investigating the impact of the Teen Reading Lounge (TRL) as an out-of-school time (OST) intervention for African American youth in Philadelphia. This pilot will offer data on how a culturally-attuned OST program can support the social and behavioral needs of African American youth.

Our Purpose

  • Examine and contextualize the history of the education and schooling in the American South
  • Study the academic achievement among youth in the South
  • Study the role of educators in the academic success of youth
  • Examine normative questions about the role of public, K-16 educational institutions in the South
  • Examine the educational experiences of students from immigrant and refugee backgrounds
  • Study the schooling experiences of students from transnational backgrounds