Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book begins with a tribute to Bill Tate for introducing critical race theory (CRT) to mathematics education. It presents an emailed interview questionnaire to provide an overview of Tate’s thoughts about his contributions to CRT. The book aims to illuminate the boundaries of CRT in mathematics education using legal studies scholar, Devon Carbado’s notion of “critical what what." It describes a Black Liberatory Mathematics Education to combat the systematic violence against Black children. The book utilizes allegorical storytelling method to launch a discussion about Black futurity. It presents the case of Daija to situate Afrofuturism in the CRT canon to counter deficit narratives regarding Black specificity in mathematics education. The book provides an account of CRT historical counter-story of mathematics education policies and Black mathematics teachers’ advocacy for Black children.