Gloria Swindler Boutte University of South Carolina
Dr. Gloria Boutte is the recipient of the 2025 Social Justice in Education Award. Dr. Boutte’s research focus is on social justice, anti-racism, and pro Blackness. She broadly explores culturally relevant education centering on the educational experiences of African Americans and other culturally and linguistically diverse students. She has written eight books and over 100 articles and has accumulated $13 million in grants. Dr. Boutte’s work advocates for the communal uplift of Black children, presenting education as a transformative tool for social change. She encourages educators to adopt “pro-Black” perspectives that both celebrate African American language and history and challenge anti-Black racism in educational contexts. Her book We Be Lovin’ Black Children has been acclaimed for its actionable strategies. Indeed Dr. Boutte is a pioneering social justice scholar and educator.
Established in 2004, the Social Justice in Education Award honors an individual who has advanced social justice through education research and exemplified the goal of linking education research to social justice. The winner of the award will be invited to give the Social Justice Lecture at the following Annual Meeting. The AERA Social Justice Committee is charged by AERA Council with serving as the selection committee for this award.