If I Ruled the World: Race, Policy, and Action in Education Research

Abstract

The fundamental aim of critical race theory (CRT), despite our skepticism that we will ever achieve it, is freedom from racial subordination for People of Color. The founding scholars of CRT were skeptical that U.S. jurisprudence was the optimal lever to achieve racial equity, given the role that the courts have played historically in reifying racial subordination and white supremacy. Moreover, these scholars called for legal academics to do more than just write scholarly articles to effect change—they also called on them to engage in political activism and advocacy. Several CRT legal scholars demonstrated their commitment to social change in myriad ways. Some participated in direct actions. For example, Derrick Bell, often recognized as the “founding father” of CRT, protested racism in legal academia, particularly as it manifested in faculty hiring. He was especially committed to intersectional hiring practices, as demonstrated by his hunger strike in protest of a refusal by Harvard Law School to hire a Black woman law professor. He continued to be a champion for women of color during 1181840 TCZXXX10.1177/01614681231181840Teachers College RecordDixson research-article2023