White Anti-Racism and White Priviledge


Overview

White persons must recognize that racism is part of the White American condition, and that they themselves reap the benefits of and erect institutions bolstered by white racism. One who is truly committed to the fight against racism - as opposed to just waving a banner and avoiding overt acts of discrimination against persons of color - must stand up and confess participation in a system of systemic privilege and become actively anti-racist.

To "do" anti-racism, white people must make a conscious choice, an active choice - a choice to suffer some discomfort and sacrifice some power and some assumptions. For those white people ready to do anti-racism, following are some strategic steps to be taken:

  • Choose repentance over denial. Choose belief over doubt.
  • Choose to address white people's racism, not just people of color's powerlessness.
  • Choose anti-racism over non-racialism.
  • Choose joining with people of color already doing anti-racism.
  • Commit to anti-racism for the long haul.
  • Reexamine your inner circles at work and in other settings.
  • Examine not only your organizations's official policies, but also the "unwritten" ones.
  • Advocate for people of color whenever the opportunity arises, not only when it is politically to your advantage.
  • Move beyond guilt to responsibility and action.

Books

Barndt, Joseph. Understanding and Dismantling Racism (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007).

Bhattacharyya, G. Race and Power: Global Racism in the Twenty First Century (Routledge Press, 2001).

Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo. Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States (318 Press, 2009).

Bush, Melanie E. L. Breaking the Code of Good Intentions: Everyday Forms of Whiteness (New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2004).

Chou, Rosalind S. The Myth of the Model Minority: Asian Americans Facing Racism (Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers, 2008).

Derman-Sparks, Louise. Teaching / Learning Anti-Racism: A Developmental Approach (New York: Teachers College Press, 1997).

Doane, Ashley, and Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo, eds. White Out: The Continuing Significance of Racism (Routledge, 2003).
Feagin, Joe R. Racist America: Roots, Current Realities and Future Reparations (Routledge, 2010).

Houts Picca, Leslie. Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage and Frontstage (Routledge, 2007).

Jensen, Robert. The Heart of Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism and White Privilege (San Francisco: City Lights, 2005). Johnson, Allan G., Privilege, Power, and Difference (Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co., 2001).

Kendall, Frances E. Understanding White Privilege: Creating Pathways to Authentic Relationships across Race (Routledge, 2006). Kivel, Paul. Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Justice (Canada: New Society Publishers, 2002).

Lipsitz, George. The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: How White People Profit from Identity Politics (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998).

Macedo, Donaldo and Gounari, Panayota (Eds.) The Globalization of Racism (Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers, 2005).

Schmidt, Peter G. Color and Money: How Rich White Kids Are Winning the War over College Affirmative Action (New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2007).

Wise, Tim. Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White (Routledge, 2005).

Wise, Tim. White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son (Brooklyn, NY: Soft Skull Press, 2005).

Resource Guides

Truth and Wholeness: Replacing White Privilege with God's Promise--a DVD available from GCORR. To order this resource from GCORR, download the Resource Order Form. A companion Leader's Guide is available online.

Brown, Cherie R., George J. Mazza and the National Coalition Building Institute. Leading Diverse Communities: A How-To Guide for Moving from Healing into Action (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005).

Katz, Judy. White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training (University of Oklahoma Press, 2003).

United Methodist Women Resources for Racial Justice: Tools for UMW Leaders (2006). Compiled by Carol Barton and Elmira Nazombe, staff, Racial Justice Program, Section of Christian Social Responsibility, Women’s Division- General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1502, New York, NY 10115, Tel: 212-870-3732.