McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Shuntae Richardson, M.P.A. | January 31, 2023

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

Program leaders are responsible for ensuring that classroom teachers acknowledge, teach about, and celebrate special times of the year. Black History Month presents the opportunity to support teachers as they highlight people who worked and still do work for social justice.


For me, Black History Month is a time to remember those influential African Americans who have contributed to the United States. In my younger years, I remember learning about great African American men and women in history who made an impact in their communities and around the world. I can’t say that I remember everyone off the top of my head, but I certainly remember most. Now, as a professional in the field of early care and education and as a grandmother, it is important to me to make sure I continue to learn and teach about Black history.


Below is a brief spotlight on a few important aspects of Black history that I hope you can learn from and share with your staff and the children and families you serve.


DR. CARTER G. WOODSON


Historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson is considered the father of Black History Month. He was born in New Canton, VA, on December 19, 1875. Dr. Woodson was the founder of The Journal of Negro History. He was the second African American to graduate with a doctoral degree from Harvard University. The National Museum of African American History and Culture mentions him as “founding the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in Chicago.” He also spent a little time in Chicago at the Wabash Avenue YMCA and in the Bronzeville neighborhood.


The Significance of February


I do not remember learning why Black History Month was in February. I have heard many people ask, “Why do we get the shortest and the coldest month?” February was chosen as Black History Month to coincide with the birthdays of President Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. According to The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Black communities have celebrated Black history together during February since the late 19th century.


BLACK EDEN


I also do not remember learning about “Black Eden” in school; I never heard my elders speak of it. In fact, 2022 was my first exposure to a place that Blacks had frequented for years, even though it is only four hours away from where I live. Beginning in 1912, Idlewild, Michigan, became home to a vacation resort that catered to Black families and lovingly became known as “Black Eden.” From 1912 until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, segregation and racism made Black Eden one of the only safe places where Black people could own vacation property, relax, and freely enjoy time with friends and family. Some well-known black entertainers such as Della Reese, Jackie Wilson, The Temptations, and Aretha Franklin have all performed at Idlewild over the years. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, W.E.B. DuBois, and Madam C.J. Walker are among the famous Black figures who owned land there.


THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY


A common saying goes, “My people perish for the lack of knowledge.”


Over the years, the Black Panther Party has often been portrayed as a militant group of Black people who were racist. But when we research and learn more about the group, we discover that this is not at all what the organization was about.


The Black Panther Party was established in 1966 as a Black power movement against police brutality. The organization focused its attention on the community and had a program called the “survival program.” The program provided free breakfast to 20,000 children each day as well as free food to families and elderly community members. The Black Panthers also distributed clothing, provided transportation, had legal aid offices, and sponsored community schools. They had health clinics and sickle-cell testing centers in many cities. These organized community outreach programs that the Black Panthers built are rarely mentioned in history books.


As we look back on history to see how things have changed since the time of the Panthers, we find many things have remained the same. There is still police brutality and injustice, and opportunities are still not equal. Our work for equality is far from over.


How do we keep Black history relevant beyond Black History Month? By always remembering the contributions that African American people have made worldwide.


Next steps:


  • Encourage staff to reflect on the people and events in Black history that inspire them.
  • You may need to provide some inspirational stories to get staff started. Use some time at staff meetings to learn together.
  • Share with staff the parts of Black history that inspire you.
  • Model a sense of regard for the work and actions of others. Do some independent research to demonstrate the importance of learning new things to your staff.
  • Help staff work to bring components of Black history into the classroom so that the next generation will know how important it is to honor Black history.
  • Incorporate a variety of media, including books, justice-oriented songs, art, and photographs.

Shuntae Richardson, M.P.A., is Professional Leadership Team Administrative Assistant IV for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. She is the founder of the One Accord Community Development Organization and a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success. Shuntae holds an Associate’s degree in hospitality from Robert Morris University, a baccalaureate in behavioral science, and a Master’s degree in public administration from National Louis University. Shuntae has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors. Her professional experience includes: accounting, customer service, insurance claims, office management, mortgage lending, event planning, and community and business development. Shuntae has professional affiliations with many organizations and has served as a board of trustee member for several non-profit organizations. She has served on planning committees for villages, townships, and the chambers of commerce in various communities. Shuntae has traveled throughout the Chicagoland area, presenting workshops in corporate settings, and facilitating budgeting simulations in high schools. She has been instrumental in motivating and encouraging others to reach their highest potential.

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The AI-Enabled Administrator: Reclaim Valuable Time

By Dr. Neal Green • February 8, 2026
Tools: Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, Perplexity Spaces Overview The evidence is clear that early childhood professionals' most significant challenge is a lack of time. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, when used strategically, can give administrators some of the time they desperately need, allowing them to focus more on their staff and the children and families in their care. This approach aligns with the foundational goal of strengthening leadership effectiveness and program impact (Abel, Talan, & Masterson, 2023). When I scan the AI landscape of available products and platforms, it becomes overwhelming. There are so many options that it is impossible to keep up with every new development. Focusing on a limited number of AI tools backed by organizations with strong infrastructure and fiscal stability is a wise place to start your AI journey. McCormick Institute for Early Childhood’s (MIEC’s) upcoming professional development sessions will focus on three AI tools. These include Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, and Perplexity Spaces. Think of Gemini Gems as your customized AI assistant that you "train" to follow your rules and meet your goals. Gemini Gems are the right tool to tackle Internal Operations . NotebookLM is perfect for creating Family Support resources that stick. NotebookLM is a powerful AI tool that uses only the documents or other resources you add to generate specific, focused output. Perplexity Spaces is a fantastic choice to address Marketing demands. Like many AI tools, you can toggle back and forth between open web searches and focused documents that are specific to your work. Gemini Gems: The “Specialist Teammate” Gemini Gems allow you to create templates you can use repeatedly for agendas, HR policies, and more. If you have used AI in the past, you know that writing an effective prompt takes time, and they can easily get "lost" if you use AI often. Gems removes that challenge and lets you save your most effective prompts without having to rewrite them every time you use Gemini. It is up to you to decide if you want to create several smaller Gems to tackle common challenges you face or create larger Gems that encompass large swaths of your work. For our purposes, we will focus our Gem work on Internal Operations, addressing Program Administration Scale (PAS) Item 9: Internal Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). Imagine using a Gem to turn messy staff meeting notes into professional minutes with clear action plans in minutes or less! NotebookLM: The "Walled Garden" NotebookLM is an excellent tool for Family Support for your center, addressing PAS Item 17: Family Support and Involvement (Talan & Bloom, 2011). After uploading documents and resources, such as your parent handbook or community referral lists, to your Notebook, you can create several resources that parents/guardians of your center students will love. Just a few of the impressive features available with NotebookLM include audio (podcast) summaries, video summaries, and reporting functions with templates or the option to create your own report with metrics that matter most to you. Perplexity Spaces: The "Research Librarian" Perplexity Spaces is a perfect AI partner for Marketing your early childhood education (ECE) program, addressing PAS Item 18: External Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). You can build your own centralized repository, with control over branding to ensure consistency and present a professional, current image. Adding specific instructions to your space eliminates the need to format documents constantly and saves valuable time. The consistency that a Perplexity Space offers in this regard allows you to upload messages that are the "voice” of your brand. Your marketing efforts are not only more aesthetically pleasing but also enable you to track trends at similar centers in your area, helping you assess the competition. Strategies for Success: Audit your Internal Communications: Identify one repetitive task, such as creating staff meeting agendas (PAS Item 9), and automate it with a Gemini Gem. Curate your Family Resources: Gather three to five existing documents to "feed" a NotebookLM project for more responsive family support (PAS Item 17). Standardize your Brand: Use a Perplexity Space to ensure all public relations tools project a consistent, professional image (PAS Item 18). Reflection Questions: Which administrative task takes the most time away from your interactions with staff and families? How might centralizing marketing materials (branding) impact the professional image to prospective families? Table 1: AI Tools for ECE Professionals
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