December 25 - 31, 2020
On June 19, 2020, I made a commitment to educate myself on the
lingering effects of racism, discrimination, and bias in America. Every
day through June 18, 2021, I will read an article or book chapter,
listen to a
podcast, watch a movie or documentary, view a webinar, or do something
substantive to educate myself in these areas. As part of that
commitment, I will post to this blog each Friday with a list of what
I've done over the past week as well as any pertinent thoughts or
reflections.
Today's post covers the week of December 25-31, 2020.
John Prideaux hosts The Economist podcast Checks and Balance, which focuses on the lingering effects of Reconstruction on race in America. Columbia history professor Eric Foner talks about the fatigue of Reconstruction for white northerners, particularly in light of the recession of 1873. Several Supreme Court rulings and the disputed election win of Rutherford B. Hayes led to an end of Reconstruction and the beginning of segregation and Jim Crow. UCLA professor Kimberle Crenshaw discusses the notion of redemption historiography that followed Reconstruction, where white northerners and white southerners stuck together to enforce Jim Crow. Georgetown professor Aderson Francois believes Reconstruction offered the possibility of a multiracial society, but its failure led to a century of apartheid in America.
This article from Time suggests that many people within the Black community are skeptical of the recently approved coronavirus vaccines. Polling from the Kaiser Family Foundation and under-enrollment in clinical trials shows a reluctance in BIPOC communities to take the vaccine. Surveys and focus groups point to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, unequal access to health care, and poor treatment in clinics and hospitals as reasons for such skepticism.
Rodney Stevens writes this short opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal. Stevens recounts his upbringing in 1960s South Carolina where, as part of a Black family, they were subject to segregation. Stevens believes that the progress made from then until now is overlooked, and that conversations about race should be filled with grace and respect. He gives six pieces of advice that he thinks will further racial equality beyond 2020.
Kiese Laymon, Professor of English at the University of Mississippi, writes this piece for the New York Times on the late John Thompson Jr. Laymon, who grew up in Mississippi, recalls watching Big John and the Georgetown Hoyas win a national championship in 1984. Laymon quotes a passage from Maya Angelou regarding Joe Louis and draws parallels with Thompson's successes and failures as one of a handful of high profile Black coaches of his time.
Kris
Rhim, a senior student-athlete at Springfield College, writes this
article for The Undefeated about shaking up the requirements for English and communication majors to include Black literature. Rhim argues that requiring the study of Black authors will lead to a clearer understanding of racial inequalities in America and foster more constructive dialogue. Rhim notes that by requiring the study of Shakespeare but not authors like Morrison and Baldwin, students miss out on learning about the Black experience.
Natasha Cloud wrote this piece in May for The Players' Tribune, and it has since been included as one of the publication's top stories for 2020. Cloud, who plays in the WNBA, calls on athletes to use their platforms to speak out against racism. Silence, argues Cloud, equates to complicity with the status quo. She cites several examples of other athletes, both Black and white, using their voices to create lasting change.
This episode of the PBS show America ReFramed documents the history of the All-Black towns of Oklahoma. Of the 50 towns established after the Civil War, only a dozen remain today. The documentary follows several current residents and their lives as ranchers, civil servants, musicians, and educators who are fighting to keep their towns alive and thriving.
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