ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the premise, arguing for the decolonization and democratization of fairy tales within the literary curriculum at public schools in the US and Africa. It argues that in this era of modern globalization when knowledge circulation is more rampant, African tales, folk and fairy should be an integral part of the public school curriculum across the globe. The chapter discusses cultural features in the chosen tales that locate them within specific regions and/or local spaces in Africa. Most teacher candidates that have passed through the author’s methods course in children’s literature are often not aware that fairy tales can be associated with Africa or non-white cultures. One reason for this disbelief stems from the fact that the literary curriculum with which they are familiar, broadly speaking, incorporates only European tales, or tales that have been authorized by Europe. Many educators would agree that cultural comparison of fairy tales is standard practice in the Western literary curriculum.
