ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a capsule view of the historic, social, and political conditions that have drained the supply of black and other minority teachers. Blacks have a longstanding tradition of excellence in education; for more than a century, teaching has been one of the most highly-respected occupations in the black community. The first black teachers had an enormous task before them; they attempted to educate a virtually illiterate population hungry for knowledge. Yet minority teachers are quickly becoming a vanishing resource. Indeed, this tradition is threatened as fewer and fewer black students enter the teaching profession. Individual states are primarily responsible for the quality of education and of educators provided in their locales. Legislators must consider the implications of their mandates and establish meaningful assessment criteria. The critical shortage of black, Hispanic, and other minority teachers serves as a deterrent to progress in a competitive democratic society that makes great demands on education.
