Many (if not most) of us have a memory of being in math class as a kid and wondering, “Why should I care about the quadratic formula?” or simply, “When will I ever use this?”
St. Louis educator Kendall Ware has fielded those questions from students he’s tutored and taught at Crossroads College Preparatory School, St. Louis Community College and Harris-Stowe State University. Last fall, he published an Algebra I textbook to help answer these questions through lessons in Black history. He titled it “Solving for Freedom” and has already sold about 500 copies.
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“Storytelling has always been a way that I get across to students,” Ware says. “With my textbook, every single concept has a Black history fact or event attached to it.”
The textbook spotlights Black innovators and leaders in mathematics, sports, politics, film, and fashion—something for every student, Ware hopes. It also includes a chapter on Black history in St. Louis.
Consider the quadratic formula, which is used to solve quadratic equations and involves a “discriminant.” The textbook describes discriminant as a “characteristic that enables things, people, or classes to be distinguished from one another.” The lesson segues into a description of Sadie Alexander, “an individual who could be considered a discriminant,” and briefly describes her journey to becoming the first female Black economist in the U.S.
Ware holds a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University, master’s degrees in teaching and Christian studies from Missouri Baptist University, and a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Lincoln University of Missouri. His inspiration for “Solving for Freedom” is rooted in his Black History Month teaching methods. During his classes, he would highlight how Black people throughout history have contributed to mathematical discoveries, and after that piqued students’ interest, he offered an extra credit project in which students were to research and present their own findings.
“Black history has always been an inspiration to me because I was always looking for individuals who look like me and have done amazing things,” Ware says. “Being where we are in society, some schools are very reluctant to have Black history as a class, so my way of getting Black history in there—because I think Black history should be in schools—is to embed it into a core subject.”
Black history curriculum has been challenged in schools across the U.S., including in nearby O’Fallon, where the Francis Howell School Board voted in December to eliminate Black history and literature courses.
While promoting his textbook, Ware encountered some hesitation from an organization whose leaders preferred to focus on the math concepts and not elevate any particular culture. Ware’s response? Black history is for everyone, but educators should also encourage students to make connections to their own diverse backgrounds.
“[Each chapter] is not necessarily focused on the Black history portion, but it’s more so focused on, ‘How is this concept used?’” Ware explains. “I’m just giving its use in Black history.”
Lutheran North Middle & High School, where Ware attended school in North St. Louis, purchased copies and plans to use them in algebra and social studies classes starting this fall.
“I’m excited to see this approach,” says Ann Roth, the school’s math department chair. “We see career paths or things like that in traditional textbooks, but I’ve never seen one before that highlights so much of Black history.”
The textbook is also gaining ground with the TRIO Upward Bound college preparatory program that serves high school students from East St. Louis and surrounding communities. Program director Christopher Cooper says the majority of participants are Black, and many need extra help with math.
“When you’re dealing with the youth, you have to come with something that’s going to keep them engaged,” Cooper says. “[Ware] came from a completely different perspective on math. … I thought it was quite unique, and that’s what really got us excited about it.”
“Solving for Freedom” is sold through Amazon and other online retailers, and Ware offers personal delivery to local schools and organizations that are interested in hosting professional development sessions with him. Ware expects to complete textbooks on Algebra II, Geometry, and Trigonometry this year, with Precalculus and Statistics textbooks coming later.
