However, in identifying slavery as the underlying theme, I did not allow myself to go any further. I didn’t see a reason to do so. I did what many of us when approached with discussing race. I ran from it.
In my haste, I didn’t realize what America will be celebrating and remembering over the next 2 to 4 years. In addition to the Civil War and its many battles, (some of) America will be remembering the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s. And I don’t believe this will be some random, thrown together celebration. This country will be remembering the 50th anniversary of some of our most defining moments. And everyone knows that 50th anniversaries are grand events in our American culture. If a program or project is going strong for 50 years, and has a track record of positivity, we will applaud it and hope that is continues for 50 more years.
Some of the key Civil Right moments that are up for 50th year anniversaries include: the Freedom Riders of 1961(which have been interviewed on a PBS documentary and the Oprah Winfrey Show); the March on Washington in which Dr. King gave his “I Have a Dream Speech” in 1963; the Voting Rights Act of 1965; the admittance of James Meredith into the University of Mississippi in 1962; the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination in employment and public places; and, sadly, the death of 3 civil rights workers in Philadelphia, MS in 1964.
Since the Civil Rights Movement in America was largely, although not entirely, based on racial equality, we are going to have conversations that involve race while these historical events are being remembered. It’s almost impossible to remember the Civil Rights movement without remembering why people were kept out of public institutions in the first place. The challenge to having conversations based on race is that key groups are identified as being a part of the racial problem. First, there are the victims that are affected by racist practices and attitudes. Second, there are the oppressors that actively work toward keeping things the same and sometimes are oblivious to what is incorrect. Lastly, you have the enablers that have the ability to impact and create changes, but they don’t. The problem then becomes the realization of what group you belong to.
I have been a part of and listened to numerous conversations on race. Being from the Mississippi Delta, it can almost be considered a rite of passage. But all the conversations I have been a part of play out the same way. Glenn Singleton, who is an educator that promotes honesty and courage in conversations about race, explains it like this: “Typically, white people have a fear that something they say will be taken out of context or will be viewed as offensive by people of color. I believe that it is important that white people move past their fear of offending and being corrected toward a place where they can understand the points of view being expressed by black people. At the same time, black people need to recognize that their experiences are unique and to have patience and compassion as these points are translated to a white audience.”
The key word is “understanding”. We all understand that race is, quite possibly, the hardest topic to discuss in our society. However, we have to allow ourselves to understand that we don’t all have the same American experience.
Over these next few years, we need to get to a place where our true thoughts and experiences can be shared with each other. At this place, difficult questions will be asked and they need to be truthfully answered. I hope I see you there.
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