How will the Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela be Taught in Our Schools?

            As we mourn and celebrate the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, I began thinking how will his legacy be remembered in the pages of our children’s school textbooks and in their schools?

            Reflecting on how the textbook industry portrayed Dr. King’s life and legacy, I wondered if the textbook industry would portray Mandela as it has portrayed Dr. King’s life and legacy.  The textbook industry has summarized the life and legacy of Dr. King and reduced it to a footnote that could be placed on a tombstone.  Recalling the textbooks of my school age years, Dr. King’s life and legacy could be summed up like this:

“a Baptist preacher who fought for Civil Rights, is famous for “I Have a

Dream” speech and was killed in Memphis Tennessee.” 

Will Mandela’s life and legacy suffer the same summarization and reduction as Dr. King? When the next generation of young adults read about the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, would his life be summed like this:

“an indigenous leader who fought to end Apartheid, spent 27 years in prison, was released and became the first black President of South Africa.”

If our children’s textbooks are not reflective of the journey and struggle Mandela took from revolutionary leader to terrorist, from prisoner to President, will their teacher’s fill in the gaps and provide proper instruction on the importance of Nelson Mandela’s fight to end Apartheid?  Will teachers discuss how Mandela chose the path of forgiveness, embraced racial reconciliation and national unity to heal a nation?  Will our children be taught to look critically beyond the textbook portrayal Mandela (and others) to understand the role character, courage and commitment play in ending racial discrimination?  Will our children be taught they have these qualities in them?  Will they be taught they have the potential to be a Nelson Mandela?

I was fortunate enough to have family who helped me to understand the significance and magnitude of Dr. King’s legacy by filling in the gaps that were missing from my school textbooks.  I hope when students learn about Mandela, the content in their textbooks will capture the life and legacy so students can understand the magnitude of the Mandela’s legacy, have meaningful discussions with teachers, family and friends dare to dream they can change the world.