“If you don’t understand white supremacy, what it is and how it operates, everything you think you understand will only confuse you.” Neely Fuller, Jr. I’ve heard the words “White supremacy” more in the past week than at any point in my life. Which is saying a lot, since I majored in Africana Studies in college. Most people have no real idea what the phrase means or how it … [Read more...]
Black Hair, White Racism & the Law
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New Hair Era | Same Old Racism When I first cut out my perm in the 1990s I had no reason to believe that I was going to live long enough to see a natural Black hair movement. Nobody, and I mean nobody at my predominantly White Penn State University campus was wearing natural hairstyles then and I remember feeling very alone. A lot of my friends and advisors would ask me … [Read more...]
Healthy Roots Dolls: Dolls Made for Your Black Child
Black Kids & Black Dolls I’ve written a lot about the ways that racist messaging impacts Black children and how the messages of Black inferiority surround them. These harmful messages are everywhere—from the lessons they learn (and don’t) in school, to the toys they play with, TV shows they watch and designs they wear on their clothes. As I’ve said before: As parents, the … [Read more...]
#DearBlackPeople: It’s OK To Have Private Black Meetings
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Many White allies find it problematic when they are excluded from private Black meetings. In fact, when Black people want to have a private “Black people only” meeting, you can expect to hear accusations of reverse racism. I saw this most recently in the days leading up to the #Movement4BlackLives Convening in Ohio (#M4BL). The convening was only open to Black people and … [Read more...]
They Don’t Like Serena Because They Don’t Like You
You’d have to be living under a rock to not realize that a lot of White people really don’t like Serena Williams very much. That rock would have to bash you in the head if you don’t realize that many of them feel the same way about the rest of us. It’s not often that Black women get the chance to gather and celebrate our beautiful selves. Hell, these days we don’t even … [Read more...]