Skip to main content
Zenzile Riddick

Zenzile Riddick

She/Hers
  • Assistant Professor of Human Development & Social Policy

Contact

zenzile.riddick@northwestern.edu

Academic Area

Human Development and Social Policy

Research Interests

19th and 20th Century History of Education; Black Education Studies; Black Women’s History; Critical Social Theory; Pedagogical Theory; Family & Community Engagement; Community-Based Education

Biography

Zenzile Riddick is a historian of education. She explores the history of justice-oriented educational practice, policy, and philosophy, most often in African American communities. She is particularly focused on the history of Black women’s leadership as educational theorists, activists, and practitioners. As an interdisciplinary scholar, she combines historical methodology with theoretical frameworks from numerous fields — including sociology, anthropology, Black studies, and gender studies — to surface key lessons about effective teaching and learning practices in marginalized communities. In her research, she examines educational models that facilitate the well-being and success not only of students, but also of teachers and communities at large. 

Currently, Zenzile is working on her first book project, which explores Black women’s school leadership, curriculum development, and pedagogical practices in Black Power Era Boston. The book is under contract with University of North Carolina Press. 

In addition to her research on Black educational history, Zenzile also examines the role of family engagement in facilitating students’ holistic well-being and academic achievement in both historical and contemporary contexts. 

Prior to joining the faculty at Northwestern, Zenzile earned her Ph.D. in Education from Harvard University.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Education, Harvard University, 2025
  • B.A. in Sociology & History Minor, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2019

Selected Publications

Riddick, Z. S. (2025). Black Feminist Thought and Education. Global Black Thought, 1(1), 126–157. https://doi.org/10.1353/gbt.2025.a960151

Givens, J., & Riddick, Z. (2024). “We Will Just Have to Take It Underground”: A Black Studies Approach to Teacher Education and Critical Professional Development. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 23326492241286094. https://doi.org/10.1177/23326492241286094

Bergman, E., & Riddick, Z. (2024). Reduced Absenteeism Relies on Family Engagement. National Association of Elementary School Principals: Principal Magazine, 104(1), 16–21. https://www.naesp.org/resource/reduced-absenteeism-relies-on-family-engagement/