Transcript: Lucy Laney

Narrator: At the Haines School in Augusta, Georgia. Its founder Lucy Laney would expand Washington’s philosophy of teaching and take it in a different direction. She insisted upon developing her children’s full potential.

Narrator: Her students studied English, mathematics, history, chemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, French and German. "What we need to develop" Laney said, "is minds, not hands. Race leaders, not followers.”

Narrator: Laney was especially interested in training young black women to be teachers.

Lucy Laney: The educated Negro woman is needed in the schoolroom, not only in the kindergarten and primary school, but in the high school, and the college. She may give advice and knowledge that will change a whole community and start its people on the upward way.

James Anderson: African American women were playing a much more critical role than what was common in American education generally. They were critical as educational leaders, but even within the trenches in local communities in terms of fund raising, and teaching and support groups that you cannot really understand the development of African American education without really appreciating the leadership of African American women.

Paula Giddings (V.O.): Teaching was a very important profession for black women in this period of time. It was just not a profession but a mission to uplift…African Americans, to teach people to read. To also teach them the ways of this world as a free people.

Narrator: But black teachers had to show real ingenuity. Black schools were often barren affairs, with few books, maps, pencils or pens.

Black Woman's Voice: We had students draw the National Flag on the blackboard. These flags were assigned a place of honor on the board and became a permanent picture in the room for years. Pupils were careful not to erase the flag when they erased the black board.

Narrator: The positive message of Laney and others was hopeful. But the reality for most blacks was hard backbreaking work and servitude.