Myles Horton
Myles Horton: A Life Dedicated to Education and Social Change
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Myles Frederick Horton was born on July 8, 1905, in Savannah, Tennessee. He is often referred to as "Mike" by friends and family.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: July 8, 1905
Died: December 24, 1990
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American educator, writer, and social activist.
Early Life and Background
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Horton grew up in a family of modest means. His parents were farmers who valued education highly. Horton's father was also a passionate advocate for labor rights and social justice, which had a lasting impact on his son's worldview. Horton attended the University of Tennessee but did not complete his degree due to financial constraints.
Major Accomplishments
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Horton is best known for co-founding the Highlander Folk School (now known as the Highlander Research and Education Center) in 1932, along with Don West and others. This institution became a hub for adult education, community organizing, and social activism, focusing on issues like racial equality, labor rights, and economic justice.
Notable Works or Actions
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Horton was an influential writer, publishing several books, including "The Peasant Roots of Rebellions" (1934) and "Prophets of the Promise: Atlantic Mennonites and the Mennonite Central Committee" (1967). He also co-authored "The Long Haul: An American Journey" with James D. Hoffman in 1970.
Impact and Legacy
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Horton's commitment to education as a tool for social change has had far-reaching effects. The Highlander Folk School, under his leadership, trained numerous civil rights leaders, including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Diane Nash, among others. His approach to adult education emphasized the importance of community engagement, participatory democracy, and critical thinking.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Horton's quotes often highlight his emphasis on the power of collective action and education in driving social change. For example:
"We are not a school for training leaders; we are a school for training people who can lead themselves, and then help others to do the same."
His legacy extends beyond the Highlander Folk School, influencing education and activism globally.
Horton's dedication to social justice, his innovative approach to adult education, and his commitment to empowering marginalized communities have left an enduring impact on American society. His work continues to inspire educators, activists, and individuals seeking positive change in their lives and communities.
Quotes by Myles Horton
Myles Horton's insights on:
This is a problem, how can we have a body of knowledge and understanding and resist the temptation to misread the interest of the people because we’re looking for an opportunity to unload this great load of gold that we have stored up?
Nothing will change until we change – until we throw off our dependence and act for ourselves.
You can’t be a revolutionary, you can’t want to change society if you don’t love people, there’s no point in it.
If you only try to do the things where you win, then you’ll never try to do anything worth doing.
I think if I had to put a finger on what I consider a good education, a good radical education, it wouldn’t be anything about methods or techniques. It would be loving people first.
Any decent society has to be built on trust and love and the intelligent use of information and feelings. Education involves being able to practice those things as you struggle to build a decent society that can be nonviolent.
I think if I had to put a finger on what I consider a good education, a good radical education, it wouldn't be anything about methods or techniques. It would be loving people first.
