On Preparing Teachers with Knowledge of the Literature of Minorities

1972 NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Background Activities of recent years have indicated growing awareness among English teachers that a study of American literature must include the literature of racial and ethnic minorities of America.  Teachers have revised courses to reflect this belief; the National Council of Teachers of English itself has adopted a policy refusing to advertise as "American" literature any anthology which does not include the literature of American minorities.  Even greater emphasis can be given to this concern by having it reflected on nationally used standardized tests of literature.  Be it therefore Resolution Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of English express to the major testing services its continuing belief that questions about American literature should require the examinees to demonstrate knowledge of the literature of racial and ethnic minorities in America.