Tag: Racism

Navigating a Segregated Nation with the Green Book

January 30, 2019

“For African-American travelers in the Jim Crow-era South—often journeying from the north to visit relatives who had not joined the Great Migration—an unprepossessing paper-bound travel guide often amounted to a survival kit. The Green Book often functioned as a lifesaver,” writes Kathleen Burke of the Smithsonian. The recently released movie Green Book, which opened to much acclaim, depicts … More Navigating a Segregated Nation with the Green Book

“The time is always right to do what is right”

August 25, 2017

It’s August 2017. The United States of America is in the grip of divisiveness and hatred. A grip tearing our social fabric. A fabric woven of freedom and fairness for all people as envisioned by our country’s founders. A fabric celebrated in our Constitution. The Constitution of the United States of America is a framework … More “The time is always right to do what is right”

Rising Voices of Hate: Andrea’s Story

August 21, 2017

Andrea Comer is my friend. Her friends are many. Her reach is far. She lives the legacy of the United States’ history of discrimination, segregation, insults, and injustice toward the “other” through her and her family’s experiences. It’s personal. It matters. It hurts. This past year I wrote several blog posts about racial and religious … More Rising Voices of Hate: Andrea’s Story

Post-Racist vs. Post-Racial America: A Big Difference

October 10, 2016

Reading Ana Marie Cox’s interview of actor, comedian and writer Aasif Mandvi (October 9, 2016 New York Times Magazine) reminded me of Wes Moore’s comments at The Connecticut Forum about wanting a post-racist, not a post-racial America. There is a difference. A big difference. Mandvi argued in his Cox interview that “We’re not postracial [sic]. Years ago, people would … More Post-Racist vs. Post-Racial America: A Big Difference

“The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America”

March 14, 2016

D. Watkins is an award-winning writer, educator, and speaker. He is the author of The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America with its “searing dispatches from the urban zones where African American men have become an endangered species.” “Watkins hailed from the streets of East Baltimore during the semi-automatic era. After years of being … More “The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America”

Essential American History: The Great Migration

February 14, 2016

History matters. The Great Migration is a critical event in 20th century American history. It is the story of “the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America.” … More Essential American History: The Great Migration

Essential American History: All Power to the People

February 13, 2016

If you care about race relations, I encourage you to to watch THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION and draw your own conclusions. Powerful and provocative, it premiers nationally on PBS, Tuesday evening, February 16, 2016 (check local listings). Hear and see this history in the voices, pictures and videos of the allies and … More Essential American History: All Power to the People

The Connecticut Forum: Wes Moore and Jessica Williams on Different Kinds of Racism

February 13, 2016

This Connecticut Forum video of Wes Moore and Jessica Williams on different kinds of racism from its Racism Forum is powerful and telling. It is essential viewing! In the words of the Forum, “…Wes Moore and Jessica Williams challenge superficial definitions of racism and encourage deeper awareness and understanding of one another’s circumstances.” Watch more clips from the Racism Forum’s other panelists … More The Connecticut Forum: Wes Moore and Jessica Williams on Different Kinds of Racism