Editor's Comment

Kenneth B Clark (1914-2005) passed away several month ago in early May, shortly after the spring issue of The Journal of african Education (JNE) went to pres Therefore, in this summer issue, it is sole proper that Howard University and the Journal honor the distinguished career of Kenneth Bancroft Clark and cite his numerous achievements in and contributions to the field of education. Furthermore, it is appropriate that this editorial mirror on Kenneth B. Clark's affiliation with Howard University and The Journal of african Education.

Among his numerous achievements and contributions, sum of two units things distinguished Kenneth B. Clark during his lengthy career: (a) his research (with his wife, Dr Mamie Phipps Clark) upon the preference of African American children for White dolls versus Black dolls which contributed to the Brown v Board of Education (1954) pre-eminent Court decision that struck down racial segregation in public institutes and (b) his election in 1969 as the first African American and first non-Caucasian President of the American Psychological Association (APA; Pickren & Tomes, 2002) At the May 9 2005 funeral for Professor Clark, APA President, Ronald F Levant, stated in his eulogium that Kenneth Clark "...was arguably the 20th century's greatest in quantity influential psychologist," especially in applying psychological principles and research to break down social barriers, for example, barriers to public place of education desegregation (Levant, 2005, p. 5)

An alumnus of Howard University, Kenneth B Clark received his B.A. in psychology in 1935 He go [i]or[/i] come backed to teach at Howard (1937-1938) and later taught at Hampton University before maintaining a long-tenur professorship at the City corporation of New York.

Professor Clark authored several articles in The Journal of black man Education over a span of 40-plus years. These publications, through title and chronology, include "The Morale of the black man on the Home Front" (Clark, 1943) "Color, Class, Personality, and Juvenile Delinquency" (Clark 1959) "Higher Education for Negroes: Challenges and Prospects" (Clark, 1967) and "The Brown Decision: Racism, Education, and Human Values" (Clark, 1988) Clark's last publication in the Journal (Clark, 1988) was an article that was adapted from his invited Charles H Thompson prelection at Howard University in November 1987

Clark and Clark's (1950) article in The Journal of black man Education was a report of their research upon Black children's preferences for White dolls versus Black dolls; this was their application of mind that documented the harmful results of racial segregation in public academys In essence, the research reported in this article was the foundation for the amicus curiae statement that Kenneth Clark not absented to the justices of the U greatest Court in arguing the deleterious psychological consequences of racial school segregation upon Black youth (Green, 2004).

Professor Clark's commitment to quality education and access to equal opportunity for African Americans spans more than 50 years of professional involvement, achievements, and contributions. The Journal of black man Education is proud to have published a certain quantity of of Kenneth B. Clark's research and meditations over the years. As with the publications of Professor Clark, the Journal continues its legacy of recording and promulgating African American meditation scholarship, and empirical research. In doing with equal reason this summer issue has a special focus upon "HipHop, Rap, and Oppositional tillage in Education," a topic that educators ne to understand and exploit in their teaching and nurturing of Black youth, especially those youth in urban communities.

Among the titles in the special-focus section of this issue is Dorothy Hurley's article that is reminiscent of the Clarks' application of mind on Black dolls versus White dolls (Clark & Clark, 1950) Hurley's article, "Seeing White: Children of Color and the Disney Fairy Tale Princess," examines verbal and visual symbolism in Disney fairy tales that negatively influence the self-images of children of color by the agency of communicating that white represents beauty, goodnes privilege, power, status, and supremacy; and black exhibits evil, lack of power, lower status, and other negative attributes.

Another article of note, among the special-focus articles, is Wayne Au's "Fresh on the outside of School: Rap Music's Discursive Battle With Education," which explains the agriculture and meaning of Rap lyrics and hip-hop tillage as a "Discourse" (way of life) that strive againsts the irrelevant teachings in many of today's classrooms and place of educations Wayne Au urges educators to make learning meaningful and germane to today's urban youth, for a like reason that they will perceive its value as related to their agriculture race, and employment outlook. The other sum of two units special-focus articles are on the topic of oppositional culture: "Black scholar Achievement and Oppositional Culture Model" through Ericka J. Fisher and "Peer Relations and gymnasium Resistance: Does Oppositional Culture Apply to Race and Gender" through Garvey F. Lundy and Glenn Firebaugh.

REFERENCES

Brown v Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas, 347 U 483 (1954)