Tag Archives: racism
Hidden Figures
I heard about the movie Hidden Figures a few years ago but never saw it. Recently, the inscrutable algorithms at Instagram started dropping clips from the movie in my feed. I’ve no idea why but I’m grateful. They got me … Continue reading
The Disordered Cosmos
From a very young age, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein knew she wanted to be a scientist. By sixth grade, she’s reading about things called quarks that make up everything we can see in the universe. At 13, her mother drives her away … Continue reading
The Last White Man
One morning in an unnamed city in an unnamed country, a white man named Anders wakes up to discover that his skin has turned dark brown. His facial features have changed too. He doesn’t recognize himself in the mirror. … Continue reading
The 1619 Project
We’ve all been taught the United States was founded on July 4, 1776, when representatives of the 13 colonies, gathered in Philadelphia, issued the Declaration of Independence. That’s the dominant historical narrative. But what if it’s not true? The 1619 … Continue reading
Dying of Whiteness
There are two main ideas in Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland: Right-wing policies implemented by Republican administrations attract supporters because they align with a fundamental desire of many white voters to preserve … Continue reading
Amend: The Fight for America
I can’t remember ever reviewing a television show before, let alone recommending one, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. Amend: The Fight for America is a six-part Netflix documentary hosted by Will Smith. It’s about the on-going … Continue reading
The Sum of Us
In the 1920’s and 30’s, towns and cities across the United States built large, beautiful public swimming pools for their communities. Montgomery, Alabama was one such town. Its Oak Park pool was one of the largest in the region. It … Continue reading
Notes on An Insurrection
I usually post book reviews on this blog, but the books about Wednesday’s armed insurrection by a mob of violent white supremacists at the US Capitol, instigated by Donald Trump, have not yet been written. I’m not going to wait. … Continue reading
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Reading, and writing about what I read, helped me stay sane this awful year. I’m glad to wrap up 2020 with Isabel Wilkerson’s acclaimed book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Caste: The Origins of Our DiscontentsBy Isabel WilkersonRandom House, … Continue reading
White Fragility
White Fragility By Robin DiAngelo Beacon Press, Boston, 2018 “White Fragility” sounds like a paradox. How can whites be fragile when we’re supposed to be the largest and smost dominant segment of US society? As author Robin DiAngelo explains it, … Continue reading
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