watkins

  Dr. William Watkins was born in Harlem, New York and raised in Southcentral Los Angeles. His areas of
   specialization include sociology of education, African American education, history of curriculum, and curriculum
   movements.

   He is the author The White Architects of Black Education (2001) and lead editor of Race and Education (2001).
   Dr. Watkins has presented over 50 academic papers in East Africa, Japan, Thailand, Cuba, Amsterdam, Canada, and
   throughout the United States. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the former Soviet Union, the People's
   Republic of China, the Caribbean, Central America, North Vietnam, and West Africa.

   Dr. Watkins currently serves on leadership bodies of the American Educational Research Association, the
   Research Focus on Black Education Special Interest Group, the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction,
   and the Education for Liberation Conference.

The School of Education Diversity Committee of Purdue University Calumet inaugurated its Diversity
Series for students, faculty, and staff on Friday, April 12, 2002. The first presenter in the series was
Dr. William H. Watkins of the College of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago.

Photos by Charlotte Rakich

Author of The White Architects of Black Education: Ideology and Power in America, 1865-1954,
Dr. Watkins offered an engaging and effective program addressing the current economy, political
conspiracies to miseducate minorities, standardized testing, school reform movements, educational
standards, exploitation of education by politicians, white privilege, and multicultural education.

Diversity Committee Co-chairs Dr. Tom Mihail and Dr. Joy Whitman welcomed 45 people to the
presentation, which was arranged by committee member Dr. LaVada Taylor Brandon. LaVerne
Collins, Coordinator of the School of Education Diversity Center, encouraged guests to explore
the Center's resources and services.