This article discusses the historical roots of child care providers – Black women who bore the burden of domestic work, including early childhood, first as forced labor while enslaved and then as an underpaid labor force; as well as the first policies formalizing early learning programs that were deeply rooted in a white supremacy mindset, dictating eligibility for high-quality programs or family supports and creating systemic barriers based on economic, nativity, and racial designations.

Author: Catalyst California