Playlist on Education


Greatest Love of All- Whitney Houston 
In Whitney Houston’s powerful ballad, she sings “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.” This relates to the novel, as the children are the ones who strive to reach beyond Bayonne, Louisiana. In the scene with one of Grant’s students and Grant, the young boy informs Grant that he desires to go to Yugoslavia. Grant had to learn to see this student’s dream through, even if he knew how hard it would be for him to get out of his small town. She continues, singing “I found the greatest love of all inside of me.” Grant hated his job, saying “I teach because it is the thing an educated black man can do in the South today. I don’t like it; I hate it” (194). Grant had to learn to love himself as a teacher, something that was not an easy process for him. He could learn to love himself through his interaction with Jefferson, whom he mentored throughout his trial. 

Education of A Black Man- Schoolly D
            In this hip-hop song, Schoolly D sings “We have a common enemy. We have this in common. We have a common oppressor, a common exploiter.” Looking at these lyrics in a deeper context than just words on a surface level, this common oppressor, enemy, and exploiter are the founders of the educational system in America. In the novel, Grant receives minimal guidance to how to educate his students. Grant says in the novel, “Put that chalk down. I can’t afford to break it” (36). As a teacher, Grant did not have enough resources to go around, as he received very few resources. He had to teach his students to be careful with what they were given, as they were given very little. In addition, he was only teaching his students five to five and a half months out of the year for them to work on the fields. The artist also sings that “Some say that rap is just madness. I say I’m glad that I had this.” For Grant, he had a hard time accepting the beauty in his occupation. He was gifted to teach the future of America; however, he was blind to that fact. There was a clear positive in what Grant viewed as a negative, that being him as a role model to his students. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJMsM5fdL98

I Can- Nas
            In this song, the artist, Nas, encourages the youth that they can achieve anything they desire or set their mind to. This is the attitude that Grant lacked as a teacher because he thought that history would continue to repeat itself and that his students would never escape Bayonne. Had Grant instituted this mentality into his students, he could have enhanced his teaching. Furthermore, Nas sings “Before we came to this country, we were kings and queens, never porch monkeys.” This touches on the historical context of African American integration into the United States. The history that should not have mattered to Grant is the slavery and injustice, but rather the richness and hierarchy of the African people. Grant should have encouraged his students’ dreams, even if he did not believe they would see the light. Another important lyric from this song is, “Nobody says you have to be gangstas, hoes. Read more, learn more, change the globe.” Through Grant educating in his one room school, this is the message he is sending. He is encouraging his students to learn, even if that education is not the same as the rest of the United States. 



Wake Up Everybody- John Legend ft. Common and Melanie Fiona

            In a cover of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’ Wake up Everybody, John Legend, Melanie Fiona, and Common  belt powerful lyrics that resonate with the listener. They sing, “Wake up all the teachers time to teach a new way. Maybe then they’ll listen to whatcha have to say.” Essentially, this is what Grant had to undergo. After leaving his hometown for the university and then returning, he had to adapt to the school and the student’s capabilities. Grant was stuck in between a rock and a hard place because he desired to teach his students, but he was being held back by the times, as schools were segregated. Grant, in the novel says, “They are fifty years younger, maybe more, but doing the same thing those old men who never attended a day in their lives. Is it just a vicious circle? Am I doing anything?” (62). This is where Grant’s frustrations with teaching begin to seep through, as he at one point feels lost in his occupation. These two artists also sing “Cause they’re the ones who’s coming up and the world is in their hands. When you teach the children teach ‘em the very best you can.” Grant was the role model for his students because he teachers tend to be the people students look up to, other than their parents or family members, at a young age. 




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