Adapting and Addressing Pedagogy to the Needs of the Day: George Floyd and American Literature and American Civilization to 1877

Authors

Alexis C. Jones, Crown College - Saint BonifaciusFollow
Don BouchardFollow

Abstract

This article explores a unique educational response to the racial and social tensions ignited by George Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests and civil unrest in 2020. Two professors at a small private college near Minneapolis/St. Paul collaboratively redesigned their American Literature to 1870 and American Civilization to 1877 courses, aiming to foster a space for civil discourse, critical inquiry, and social awareness among students. Employing Paulo Freire's concept of “conscientização” and Parker Palmer's vision of a community-centered classroom, the professors created a curriculum focused on primary sources and research-based journaling, which allowed students to critically examine America’s history of racial and social justice. The courses facilitated intense discussions around primary historical documents and invited students to investigate “how did we get here?” questions in relation to contemporary racial equity. This article reflects on the semester’s impact, sharing student feedback and noting the transformative power of integrating real-world relevance into the curriculum. The authors conclude by affirming the value of taking pedagogical risks and express their intent to continue such educational approaches in the future.

Recommended Citation

Jones, Alexis C. and Bouchard, Don (2025) "Adapting and Addressing Pedagogy to the Needs of the Day: George Floyd and American Literature and American Civilization to 1877," Essays in Education: Vol. 31: Iss. 2, Article 5.
Available at: https://openriver.winona.edu/eie/vol31/iss2/5

Primary Author Bio Sketch

Alexis C. Jones, PhD

Associate Professor of History and Teacher Education, Crown College

Areas of Educational Interest: History and Teacher Education, Secondary Social Studies, Civil Rights Issues, Racial and Social Justice in Education, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Secondary Author Bio Sketch

Don Bouchard, PhD

Professor of English and Teacher Education, Crown College

Areas of Educational Interest: Literacy and the Motivation to Literacy, Literature, including American and world literary works, Poetry, Intersections of philosophy and praxis from biblical perspectives