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Book 5

Page history last edited by Sara Burnett 7 years, 7 months ago

Michael Davis - 67 years old

 

Live in St. Cloud, MN and own my house

 

Has a wife who is French Canadian and a daughter

 

I am African American, First People (Native American), and Asian American

 

Born in Harlem, NY

 

My mother wanted to be a librarian but never did.  But we had a lot of books to learn from.

 

As a teenager was a gang member.  Decided to leave after oldest brother and friend were murdered.  Realized it was time to make a change.  Never served time.

 

Became a teacher because I hated teachers.

 

Went to Eastern Michigan University and got a BA in History and my 1st Masters. in Urban Education.  I got my 2nd Masters in Secondary Education and PhD in Urban Education at Columbia.  SURPRISE!

 

I fought with my professors about what they were teaching us.

 

Taught for history for 20 years in New York in high schools, prisons, and juvenile detention centers.

 

Moved to Minnesota and taught for the last 26 years at St. Cloud State University (SCSU) from which I retired recently.

 

Trained teachers about how to teach diversity and have taught human relations.

 

Think SCSU should close because of so much hate there.  I've wrote letters to high schools, churches, and community colleges not to come to SCSU because of the racism.  The people are culturally illiterate.

 

I breathe diversity.

 

I am heading back to New York to teach part time in prison.

 

Racism will not change in the U.S.; there is so much hate.

 

Teachers talk a good talk in the classroom but then clam up because they don't wan to get in a fight.  We should teach the accomplishments, the truth.

 

Suggested resources from Michael:

 

  • Study scientific racism (big lips, small brains, made people believe I was less intelligent than a white professor)
  • Study Ancient African Kingdoms where we came from
  • Study the fact that Obama is not the first black president.  There have been 7 based off of the one-drop rule.
    • Read "Black Presidents" (found on Amazon) and "5 Black Presidents" by J.A. Rogers
  • Study the Eve gene - everyone has one black gene
  • Also read:
    • Lies My Teacher Told Me
    • Things My History Teacher Didn't Tell Me
    • Cherished Myths of American History
    • Indian Givers 

 

5 Words to describe me: hardworking, honest, dedicated, culturally focused, gender focused

 

Do you see me differently now?

 

 

 

Comments (1)

Sara Burnett said

at 9:55 pm on Jul 29, 2015

Michael was the first person I approached for this project. I was at the public library in St. Cloud where a lot of homeless people will go to get out of the heat. This was my story for Michael. Boy, was I wrong. He did for me exactly what I hope my project does for others. I am glad I was brave enough to ask him for a few minutes of his time to become one of my books. I hope his story helped change your mind too.

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