Within the context of the U.S., there has always existed a parasitic dynamic between the white and the Black, where Black is relegated to a structural antagonism by the white. Research within education that has taken up the issue race and racism has resulted in preoccupations with examining the academic achievement gap, and pursuits of racial justice. Specifically, educational reform and legislation is often identified as the most optimal means to attaining racial equity within education. I contend that the invocation of race and racism in educational research is not sufficient unless it is specifically concerned with critically examining and eradicating Black suffering. Thus, in this study, I explore the legacy of State demonstrated antipathy towards Black thought and life. Broadly, I examine the liberatory capacity of educational reform legislation and programmatic initiatives. Using critical discourse analysis, I focus on the discourse which accompanies the rollout of policy, effectively implicating State discourse in facilitating the reification of white dominance and control, as well as sustaining Black subjugation. I found that: (1) The positioning of policy as a legitimate arena for deciding on requests for freedom and civil liberties is representative of the duration and enduring capacity of white supremacy; (2) discourse constructed a context for identifying problems that sanitized history and normalized capitalism; (3) the problems identified were superficial and devoid of structural and systemic considerations; (4) the interventions that were proposed as solutions were inadequate; and (5) the discourse regarding Upward Bound facilitates an assault on Black thought and life. I engage in Black liberatory fantasizing to offer recommendations for utilizing education and educational reform programs as emancipatory tools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]