Lifting Them Up: Teaching the Hidden Curriculum to Help African

In this review of Lifting Them Up, readers will find a reflective, historically grounded exploration aimed at educators, school leaders, and anyone invested in equitable student outcomes. The book traces a legacy of teachers who deliberately nurtured African American students during segregation and its aftermath, and the single biggest reason to read it is its focus on the practical, often unwritten lessons that helped students navigate schools and society. The review highlights how the author presents those lessons as a form of resistance and community uplift, making the book valuable for those seeking both context and classroom application.

Key Features

• Historical narratives: The book recounts lives of dedicated teachers like Sarah Moore Green and Catherine Porter to show how individual educators shaped student opportunity.
• Hidden curriculum focus: It identifies practical, unwritten lessons that supported African American students beyond formal instruction, useful for modern educators.
• Community context: The text situates teaching within African American community culture, demonstrating how schooling connected to broader social uplift.
• Continuity after desegregation: The book follows the story beyond Brown vs. Board of Education to explain how de facto segregation kept challenges in place.
• Practical inspiration: Through portraits of teachers, readers gain concrete examples of practices that helped students reach their potential against odds.

Who It's For

This book is best for K-12 teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, and historians who want to understand how everyday pedagogical choices and community values supported African American student success. It speaks directly to readers seeking historical perspective paired with actionable ideas about the hidden curriculum.

Those looking for a step-by-step instructional manual or contemporary data-driven policy prescriptions should look elsewhere; the book emphasizes narrative, context, and practitioner wisdom rather than programmatic checklist solutions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides clear examples of teacher practices that reinforced student resilience and achievement in challenging contexts.
• Places schooling within community traditions of uplift, giving readers a broader cultural frame for educational work.
• Documents continuity and change around desegregation, useful for educators teaching history or policy.

Cons

• Not a technical handbook; readers seeking detailed curricula or metrics may find it more descriptive than prescriptive.

Specifications

Title	Lifting Them Up: Teaching the Hidden Curriculum to Help African American Students Beat the Odds
Author	Dr. Angela Cherry
Subject	Education history and teaching practice
Focus	Hidden curriculum and teacher impact in African American communities
Historical figures featured	Sarah Moore Green, Catherine Porter, Louise Brown, Willa Gradington McMichael, Callisto Bell
Themes	Segregation, community uplift, educator dedication

Our Verdict

For educators and readers interested in the intersection of history and classroom practice, this book is a thoughtful, valuable read that highlights how committed teachers supported African American students when institutions failed them. It offers durable lessons about community-rooted teaching and is good value for those seeking context, inspiration, and practical examples rather than prescriptive programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book include specific teacher stories?
Yes. It profiles teachers such as Sarah Moore Green and Catherine Porter to illustrate how individual educators made a difference.

Is this a practical guide for classroom use?
It offers practical examples and principles but is more narrative and historical than a step-by-step classroom manual.

Who is the author?
The book is written by Dr. Angela Cherry, who frames teacher practice within community and historical context.