Online Learning Kit: Equal Teacher Pay

8/13/2019 Online Learning Kit: Equal Teacher Pay

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What to Expect in Your Learning KitThank you for downloading the New Journal and Guides Black History Online Learning Kit.

We are celebrating and highlighting the achievements of those who dedicated their lives to thecause of civil rights for African-Americans. Were taking a closer look at the overall journey andimportant cases in Virginia that helped to shape the movement toward a more equal America.

For over 100 years, the New Journal and Guide has been telling the stories of these extraordinaryAmericans. This year, in addition to our informative articles, weve developed special learning

kits for students of all ages. We hope these kits will serve as conversation starters for kids andparents. We would like them to understand just how important these times were to the rights theyenjoy today.

Each learning kit will include the following:

Quick outline of the topicFull Article as it appears in the New Journal and GuideOnline Interactive PresentationLearning worksheets on each topicQuiz (Print and Online version)Answer Key for QuizAnswer Key for worksheets

If you would like to submit a topic suggestion or a story, please contact us at 757-543-6531 [email protected].

For more online learning kits, please visit us athttp://www.thenewjournalandguide.com.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.thenewjournalandguide.com/http://www.thenewjournalandguide.com/http://www.thenewjournalandguide.com/http://www.thenewjournalandguide.com/mailto:[email protected]


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Quick Outline: Equal Pay for TeachersSummary: In this installment, well focus on one of the first battles for equalityin education.Two African-American teachers at Booker T. Washington High School, Aline Black and MelvinAlston, joined forces with the NAACP the famed Thurgood Marshall, and the Virginia TeachersAssociation to sue the City of Norfolk in 1939. They wanted pay that was equal to that of theirwhite counterparts. Black lost her appeal, but Alston was successful and set a precedent thatwould lead the way for future cases.

Quick Points:

Two teachers from Booker T. Washington sued the City of Norfolk to get pay equalto that of their white counterparts starting in 1938. The suit was filed in 1939 by

Black. The NAACP and the Virginia Teachers Association helped Alston and Black to file

suit

Norfolk teachers became the first in the south to win equalization and this set aprecedent for all other pay equality cases

At that time, the school board claimed that the salariespaid to teachers were not based on skin color, but on contracts.

The school board sent letters to Alston stating that if he was not satisfied with thecontacts, theyd be willing to relieve any teacher of their obliga tions ifany of them is "dissatisfied with the salary provisions of their contracts ofemployment."

Aline Black taught chemistry at the school and Alston taught commerce Alston graduated from Booker T. Washington in 1931 Alston was one of the first teachers, black or white, to earn a doctorates degree in the

city of Norfolk

The Norfolk Circuit Court ruled that Blacks suit for writof mandamus was not theproper way to adjust the teacher's grievances and the case was dismissed. She alsolost an appeal after her contract was not renewed.

Black was then rehired in 1941 Blacks initial request for a pay raise in October of 1938 was denied months later Black based her request for higher pay on the fact that white teachers at Maury High

School who had the same qualifications were paid more

Janitors at black schools earned an average of $140 per month while teachers onlymade $115 which amounts to about $4.01 per day

Blacks attorney found, after requesting the school boards minutesover the last 10years that black teachers only earned about 2/3 of what comparably qualified whiteteachers earned

Alston was the president of the National Teachers Association at that time Hundreds protested after the school boards decision to deny Blacks request


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Presentation Follow Along(Visit http://www.thenewjournalandguide.com to download the interactive presentation)

Transcript of Equal Pay for Educators Presentation

The New Journal and Guide Presents

Equal pay for educators

Equal Pay for Educators

Two Norfolk teachers, with the help of the NAACP and the Virginia Teacher's association,

helped to pave the way for other black teachers to get equal pay for their work in American

schools. The battle started in Norfolk, Virginia at Booker T. Washington High School in 1938

Black Teachers only earned 2/3 of the salary of a white teacher. Many only earned less than 4.50

per day

The Money Breakdown

(Point out the salary of white teachers to black teachers in the columns with special emphasis on

Virginia)

The Fighters

Aline Black stands up for equal rights

Chemistry teacher Aline black was the one who started the ball rolling. She was the first to file

suit against the Norfolk school board for equal pay.


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She first requested pay equal to that of her white counterparts at Maury in 1938 but it was

denied.

At that time, the white janitor made more money than any Black teacher at BTW.

Black filed an appeal after the court sided with the school board in 1939. The school board

argued that she'd signed a contract and was not entitled to a higher salary.

Her appeal was abandoned after the school board did not renew her contract.

This caused a backlash in the community and P.B. Young, then-editor of the Guide, organized a

protest that included hundreds of children, the NAACP and Thurgood Marshall.

A few months later, the NAACP and the VTA filed another suit against the school board.

Melvin Alston paves the way

Melvin Alston was the president of the Virginia Teacher's Assoc. and he was the second person

to file suit against the school board. He was a commerce teacher at the time.

He won after lawyers filed an appeal and argued

that his rights had been violated under the 14th amendment. They also showed the difference

between the salaries of whites and blacks.

Reaching the Goal

The School Board tried to appeal but they were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempt. They

agreed to enter a three-year pay equalization plan with the black teachers in the city.

Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP did not like this plan because they believed the teachers

should not have to wait to be paid fairly, but they knew it was a start.

Changing History Forever

Norfolk teachers became the first in the south to win equalization and this set a precedent for all

other pay equality cases.

He was also the first teacher, black or white, in the city to earn a doctorate degree.

First year elementary school teachers made

$326 less per year than their white counterparts and those on the high school level made $271

less.


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Test your knowledge!

Take the quiz!

For more learning kits, please visit thenewjournalandguide.com


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Learning Activity: Equal Pay for TeachersInstructions: Draw a line between the items that match.

Aline Black

Melvin Alston

P.B. Young

Thurgood Marshall

He was the editor of the New Journal

and Guide. He helped to organize a

protest in 1939 after the Norfolk

School Board let Black go when she

filed suit. Hundreds of children

marched in the street to show their

support.

He was part of the legal team that

helped Alston to file suit successfully

against the school board for equal pay.

He was also the first African-

American justice.

This person was the first to file suitagainst the Norfolk School Board for

equal pay. This person taught

chemistry at Booker T. Washington

High School.

This individual was the first teacher in

Norfolk, black or white, to hold a

doctorates degree. He also was thesecond person to file suit against the

school board. He was successful and

helped to pave the way for others.


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Learning Activity (Answer Key)Instructions: Draw a line between the items that match.

Aline Black

Melvin Alston

P.B. Young

Thurgood Marshall

He was the editor of the New Journaland Guide. He helped to organize a

protest in 1939 after the Norfolk

School Board let Black go when she

filed suit. Hundreds of children

marched in the street to show their

support. (P.B. Young)

He was part of the legal team that

helped Alston to file suit successfully

against the school board for equal pay.

He was also the first African-

American justice. (Thurgood

Marshall)

This person was the first to file suit

against the Norfolk School Board for

equal pay. This person taught

chemistry at Booker T. Washington

High School. (Aline Black)

This individual was the first teacher in

Norfolk, black or white, to hold a

doctorates degree. He also was the

second person to file suit against the

school board. He was successful and

helped to pave the way for others.

(Melvin Alston)


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Quiz: Equal Pay for Teachers1. In what year did Aline Black file suit against the city?

___________________

2. How much were black teachers paid per day?

___________________

3. Who helped to organize a march with hundreds of children after

the Norfolk School Board ousted Aline Black?

_______________________________________

4. Who was the first teacher to receive a doctorates degree in

Norfolk? __________

5. Who was the famous lawyer who helped Alston to file suit against

the city?______________________

6. True or False: Aline Black taught English at Booker T.

Washington. ___________

7. Who made more money, Black teachers or white janitors before

this case? ____________________________

8. Name the two organizations that helped Alston and Black to file

suit?___________________________________

9. On which other Norfolk school did Black base her request forhigher pay? _______________________

10. True or False: Blacks firstrequest for higher pay was denied.

_____________________________________________


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Quiz: (Answer Key)1. In what year did Aline Black file suit against the city? 1939

2. How much were black teachers paid per day? $4.01 per day

3. Who helped to organize a march with hundreds of children after

the Norfolk School Board ousted Aline Black? P.B. Young

4. Who was the first teacher to receive a doctorates degree inNorfolk? Melvin Alston

5. Who was the famous lawyer who helped Alston to file suit against

the city? Thurgood Marshall

6. True or False: Aline Black taught English at Booker T.

Washington. False: She taught chemistry.

7. Who made more money, Black teachers or white janitors beforethis case? Janitor

8. Name the two organizations that helped Alston and Black to file

suit? The Virginia Teachers Association and the NAACP

9. On which other Norfolk school did Black base her request for

higher pay? Maury High School

10. True or False: Blacks first request for higher pay was denied.

True


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Vintage ClippingsBelow you will find vintage clippings of the cases involving Melvin Alston and Aline Black. These clippings

are only to be used as an extra resource for students. Any other uses of this material requires

permission from the New Journal and Guide. If you would like to know more about our one-of-a-kind,

historic collection via Proquest, please call us at 757-543-6531 or email us [email protected].

If you would like to carry the New Journal and Guides archives in your library/educational facility,

please contact Proquest athttps://www.proquest.com/en-US/
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13/18Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.


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Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.


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Online Learning Kit: Equal Teacher Pay

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Transcript of Online Learning Kit: Equal Teacher Pay