Marcus A. Foster

Dr. Marcus A. Foster was an education reformer in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania public school system when he was recruited to lead the Oakland Unified School District in 1970, making him the first Black superintendent of a large city school district in the United States. Dr. Foster ushered in an era of innovation in education that encouraged teachers, students, parents, community members, and businesses to find creative, intersectional solutions to address barriers to community well-being and...See more

Dr. Marcus A. Foster was an education reformer in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania public school system when he was recruited to lead the Oakland Unified School District in 1970, making him the first Black superintendent of a large city school district in the United States. Dr. Foster ushered in an era of innovation in education that encouraged teachers, students, parents, community members, and businesses to find creative, intersectional solutions to address barriers to community well-being and success. In 1973, he founded the Oakland Education Institute-later named the Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute to support innovation in schools. See less