Brenda Baker Legacy Scholarship Fund

My mother, Brenda Baker, attended school in Detroit during the Civil Rights Movement. Like many Black students, my mother’s educational experiences were negatively impacted by racial integration. She shared stories with me about being bussed to predominantly white schools and being taught by white teachers who were hostile toward Black students and reinforced racial stereotypes. These intensely negative racial educational experiences inspired her to be a fierce advocate in her children’s education. She believed: 1. Every child is deserving of an education irrespective of their racial identity, 2. Education starts at home, and 3. It is important for Black children to understand Black history in order to understand themselves. As a young child, I remember our family home being filled with a personal library that contained encyclopedias, books, craft books, and dictionaries. I recall watching documentaries about historical events and figures such as The Little Rock Nine, The Black Panther Party, and Malcolm X. Every year, my mother made us watch Roots and tv specials about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day. She took great honor in her children’s academic accomplishments. If you ever visited the Baker Family Home, you would see her pride represented in her children’s diplomas and graduation pictures on the mantle of her fireplace. Though she would not claim this, she was her children’s first teacher. As both a graduate and a former high school English teacher of the Detroit Public Schools Community District and now a professor and researcher of Black education, my mother’s devotion has deeply influenced my academic accomplishments and commitment to education. The Brenda Baker Legacy Scholarship was established to honor her memory and ensure that her commitment to education for Black students lives on. -Dr. April Baker-Bell