Dr. John Ogbu Nigerian-American Anthropologist Major figure in the application of anthropological theories and methods to problems related to minority education in the United States and abroad. Named one of “four intellectual giants of the 20 th century” by Eminent Educators: Studies in Intellectual Influence

Born in 1939 Umudomi, Nigeria Schooling Hope Waddell Training Institute Methodist Teacher’s Training College Princeton University Theological Seminary University of California, Berkeley Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology (1965) Masters, Anthropology (1969) Doctorate of Philosophy, Anthropology (1971) Professor from 1970 to his death Background and Schooling

Voluntary vs Involuntary Minorities Voluntary minorities: groups of immigrants who chose to come to the United States, and their descendants Irish, German, Asian-Americans, etc. Involuntary minorities: descendants of groups of persons who found themselves in the United States, or under United States jurisdiction, against their will African-Americans, Mexican-Americans Ogbu argued that, "involuntary minorities" often adopted an "oppositional identity" to the mainstream culture in response to a glass ceiling imposed or maintained by white society on the job-success of their parents and others in their communities. Therefore, he reasoned, some non-whites "failed to observe the link between educational achievement and access to jobs."

“Acting White” 1986 study (with Signithia Fordham) which concluded that some African American students in a Washington, D.C., high school did not live up to their academic potential because of the fear of being accused of "acting white” It was concluded that these students' cultural attitudes hindered their own academic achievement and that these attitudes are too often neglected by parents, educators and/or policymakers.

African American Vernacular English Known by non-linguists as Ebonics In 1996, Ogbu played a prominent role in the debate about the utility of African American Vernacular English Ogbu encouraged teachers to become familiar with and to make use of this vernacular in helping African American students transition to traditional English

The Next Generation: An Ethnography of Education in an Urban Neighborhood In 1968, he had begun his doctoral fieldwork in Stockton, California in a neighborhood called Burgherside trying to discover why some children, especially minority children, performed poorly in school. His dissertation was published in 1974 as "The Next Generation: An Ethnography of Education in an Urban Neighborhood"

The Next Generation explores education (schooling) in Burgherside, a low- income neighborhood in Stockton, California majority of residents are blacks and Mexican-Americans - they make up about 92% of the elementary school population. study explores the reasons for many children from the neighborhood failing in public schools. goal was to study how the people in Stockton, including Burghersiders, conceptualize their educational system and their place in it, and how these conceptualizations influence the way they behave within the institution. research covered the following groups in Stockton: (a) Burghersiders; (b) residents of adjoining neighborhoods attending the same junior and senior high schools with Burghersiders; (c) organizations and leadership representing the interests of the subordinate minorities in the wider community; (d) school personnel; (e) taxpayers, principally the middle-class Stocktonians and the organizations they formed to assist with "problems" of Burghersiders and similar groups.

Findings Low status occupations, low wages, etc. White institutional barriers, etc. High rate of school failure confirms justifies Belief system of minorities Washington, T.A. (2008)

Findings Low status occupations, low wages, etc. Intellectual, cultural inferiority or “subordinate minorities” High rate of school failure confirms justifies Belief system of whites (dominate class) Washington, T.A. (2008)

Findings Mistreatment by dominant class because of school failure School Failure adaptation as a coping mechanism School failure causes justifies Practice that ensues Washington, T.A. (2008)

References Ogbu, John U. (1974). The next generation; an ethnography of education in an urban neighborhood [by] John U. Ogbu Academic Press: New York. John Ogbu. (2009, May 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:30, May 26, 2009, from Washington, Tracy Amanda. (2008). The next generation: An ethnography of education in an urban neighborhood. Powerpoint Presentation.