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The Myles Horton Reader: Education For Social Change
Cornel West has called Myles Horton “an indescribably courageous and visionary white brother from Tennessee.” Horton (1905-1990) cofounded the Highlander Folk School (now known as the Highlander Research and Education Center), an institution controversial from its beginnings.
During the early labor movement, the Highlander School sponsored programs for both union organizers and rank-and-file members; the staff of Highlander saw education as a way to approach and work through problems. Issues of race were always important to the school, which became a beacon for the civil rights movement; its summer institutes included such influential participants as Rosa parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Andrew Young.
His commitment to education as an agent of social change allowed Horton to see himself as both a teacher and a student, as one who could learn from others as well as help others learn. The Myles Horton Reader presents essays, speeches, and interviews, giving the reader a grounding in the pathbreaking work of an extraordinary man.
During the early labor movement, the Highlander School sponsored programs for both union organizers and rank-and-file members; the staff of Highlander saw education as a way to approach and work through problems. Issues of race were always important to the school, which became a beacon for the civil rights movement; its summer institutes included such influential participants as Rosa parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Andrew Young.
His commitment to education as an agent of social change allowed Horton to see himself as both a teacher and a student, as one who could learn from others as well as help others learn. The Myles Horton Reader presents essays, speeches, and interviews, giving the reader a grounding in the pathbreaking work of an extraordinary man.
- GenresEducationSocial Change
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 13, 2017
Fantastic collection of essays, speeches, and interviews with Myles Horton. The only trouble is that Horton is so very "on message" that there's little variety if you read the book straight through as I did. He is remarkably consistent though - there's great evidence that he believes in his method and cause and he has Highlander as a project/approach to education pretty well figured out. The book is a great reference for finding Horton's views broken down and supported clearly though his own words across time. The book covers early 1940s through the late 1980s.
If you are interested in the ideas of Myles Horton, this is a must-read. But you can skip around if you want to; there's little value in reading the same stories and explanations again and again.
If you are interested in the ideas of Myles Horton, this is a must-read. But you can skip around if you want to; there's little value in reading the same stories and explanations again and again.
April 30, 2007
Those who are interested in the revolutionary possibility of education have got to get acquainted with Myles Horton, founder of the Highlander School (now the Highlander Research and Education Center). Horton wrote much less than his contemporary and friend Paulo Friere, but what he did write speaks simply, wisely and profoundly about education, learning and social change.
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December 1, 2008very very awesome. what do pete seeger, rosa parks and appalachian tennessee have in common? the highland folk school/research and education center!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews