Carter G. Woodson’s *The Mis-Education of the Negro* argues that the American educational system was designed to indoctrinate rather than empower Black people. He explains that when a society controls people’s thinking, it shapes their actions and expectations, leading them to accept inferior roles without resistance. Woodson warns that this conditioning fosters dependency and keeps Black communities from securing political, economic, and social rights.

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Woodson calls for self-education, independent thinking, and the development of institutions that serve Black needs rather than reinforce systemic inequality. His work challenges readers to reject limiting narratives, claim their agency, and build the intellectual and economic tools needed for liberation. Ultimately, he insists that real progress begins with mental emancipation and the rejection of systems that teach Black people to doubt their own capabilities.