Richard D. Benson II is an assistant professor in the Education Studies Program at Spelman College in Atlanta. A native of Chicago, he earned a dual bachelor’s degree in sociology and political science from Saint Xavier University, an M.A. in inner city education studies from Northeastern Illinois University and a M.Ed. in instructional leadership, educational studies from the University of Illinois-Chicago. In 2010, he successfully completed the pursuit of his Ph.D. in educational policy studies specializing in the history of education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Benson’s research interests combine a wealth of experiences and scholarship in critical pedagogy, history of American and African-American education, hip-hop history and youth popular culture, critical race theory and education, history of social movements, and school-community relationships amongst other provocative subject matter. His expertise has led to several published works, including “Sabbath Schools” and “Floyd B. McKissick” both featured in the Encyclopedia of African American Education. As the recipient of many awards including the UNCF/Mellon Faculty Residency Award and the Avery Research Center for African American History & Culture Fellowship, Dr. Benson travels frequently as a guest lecturer throughout the U.S. and abroad, speaking on topics such as education, social consciousness, the Black student movement, and the educational philosophy of Malcolm X. Richard D. Benson II is an assistant professor in the Education Studies Program at Spelman College in Atlanta. A native of Chicago, he earned a dual bachelor’s degree in sociology and political science from Saint Xavier University, an M.A. in inner city education studies from Northeastern Illinois University and a M.Ed. in instructional leadership, educational studies from the University of Illinois-Chicago. In 2010, he successfully completed the pursuit of his Ph.D. in educational policy studies specializing in the history of education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Benson’s research interests combine a wealth of experiences and scholarship in critical pedagogy, history of American and African-American education, hip-hop history and youth popular culture, critical race theory and education, history of social movements, and school-community relationships amongst other provocative subject matter. His expertise has led to several published works, including “Sabbath Schools” and “Floyd B. McKissick” both featured in the Encyclopedia of African American Education. As the recipient of many awards including the UNCF/Mellon Faculty Residency Award and the Avery Research Center for African American History & Culture Fellowship, Dr. Benson travels frequently as a guest lecturer throughout the U.S. and abroad, speaking on topics such as education, social consciousness, the Black student movement, and the educational philosophy of Malcolm X.

critical pedagogy, history of American and African-American education