Reading Clint's article is heartwrenching. Sadly, my education regarding the horrors of slavery and the continued effects of the 'religion of the lost cause' is coming to me late in life. When we see the truth glaring at us, it's hard to turn a blind eye. Again, thank you for sharing this information. No longer can I close my eyes to the pain or silence my mouth in speaking out.
Thank you for the link to the Chicago training session regarding stepping in when witnessing anti Asian harassment, or any racist harassment for that matter. The time meshed for me and was just as relevant. We were taught the Five D's. I was excited that 200 people across the country registered, less excited when I factored in population of USA. But it was great and 99% of respondents reported feeling confident practising one of the D's. We were asked not to screenshot or record the session but they will be holding more. Big thanks!
Clint Smith is such a powerful writer. I have started a comment and deleted multiple times. I find the power in the story is how he lets Martha and Ken unfold naturally. It shows the way we (as white people) try to mask, excuse and whitewash our shame. It is so much more effective (IMO) to tell their story and let their hypocrisy and lies reveal themselves. Then he comes in with truth, history, facts that dispel these lies that live on in history. I read this article in Atlantic some weeks ago and just can't let go. Keep coming back to it. Just read Adam Grant's book Think Again... he talks about how it is difficult to "convince" people of things, but you can simply hold up a mirror so that they can see themselves. This comes to mind in Clint Smith's writing and the way he weaves the story.
What a great essay. I'm haunted by The Whitney Plantation. I could write an essay so I'll try to gather thoughts.
I live in Australia, a country born out of a prison camp, genocide of the first nation peoples, and a desire for white purity, enshrined in the Federation in 1901. Aboriginal people were first recognised in the census in 1969 & allowed to vote. The White Australia Policy was overturned in 1972, allowing POC to migrate. So how much do I know about slavery & the Civil War ? Surprisingly, a fair bit because Australia looked outside itself for many many years. Our curriculum was Eurocentric and our popular culture was American. We studied the civil war in high school. (Australian history was Soooo boring as it was taught at the time). Funnily enough we weren't taught about the role the British played in the slave trade).
I remember being 12 when mum took me to see Gone with the Wind at the local cinema, a revised print. The two black actors Hattie Perkins and the young "lazy chile" stood out as alien creatures, heightened visions, stereotypes I would later come to know as tropes. We discussed the fact that the heroes actually were KKK!
We were taught from afar that "slavery was bad, segregation was bad", never realising there were two forms of slavery here, forced indenture of aboriginal people,and in the state of Queensland a slavery known as "blackbirding" occurred when Pacifica peoples and Torres Strait Islanders were captured and brought to work in the sugar cane fields. Last year, during the BLM demonstrations, our prime minister was forced to backtrack when he claimed that no slavery happened here.
In that climate it's really easy for Australians to condemn without really understanding nuances.
My eyes were really opened by a book "Deer Hunting with Jesus", by Joe Bageant. Please take the time to read this book even though it's set during the pre Obama administration. Joe went back to his working class town in the south. It was really clear that his relatives and other white impoverished people he interviewed felt betrayed by the Democrats, and took great comfort from the Southern confederate myths.
Recently I rewatched episodes of 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'True Blood' and these are actually steeped in confederacy mythos: in the finale of season one of the Vampire Diaries, Gone with the Wind is shown as a backdrop; in True Blood the main Vampire character is a "good" Confederate soldier who befriends people by telling them about their ancestors. Slavery isn't mentioned, and in both series the African American actors are witches, maintaining the myth that the only power women had was supernatural. This is reflected in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, where the Caribbean slave Tituba (so badly written), is represented as witch like. My point is two fold: popular culture has supported and sustained confederate myths as much as shows like Roots worked to tell the truth.
My 2nd point is that I'm truly grateful and hungry to learn via subscribing to you Austin, but unless I take these lessons to examine my backyard then it becomes simply voyeuristic: "oh but it didn't happen here". I'm so grateful that I can continue to unpack my learned racism while fighting to claim and reveal the true history of Australia and its ongoing injustices. The late director John Singleton put up this word at the beginning of his film 'Higher Education', "Unlearn". Thank you for helping me on this path. Janet Robertson
I have so many thoughts and emotions about the article. It was excellent. I have lived in Lee County, NC for 25 years now. I guess this helps me understand why some people spin false naratives but it truly makes me so mad. The Confederate flags, the monuments, the "it's our heritage" have always infuriated me. My brother lives outside of Savannah and they can't seem to understand why I don't want to go tour the city or see plantations. I wish there was some way to open people's hearts and eyes to the truth of the horrors of history.
Also, If you’re a person who menstruates- Austin recommended Honey Pot products (so I bought some). They’re great and also come with a free pep talk on the packaging. 10/10 recommend.
Thank you Austin! And thanks to others who commented. We could chat for hours! I am once again shocked and saddened to learn of the myth some people choose to believe. I wonder how little humans have progressed. When a teen, my pastor preached that all are equal. And this I believed. I grew up in a dominantly white community. My parents made the effort to invite international students and mission workers to our home. In college I met another student who happened to be black. We married and had two children. A couple years ago a neighbor was overheard saying she could not imagine have sex with a black man. I have not been able to speak to her since then. In 2012 I saw the movie Django with my adult son. Recently We watched The Lost Pirate Kingdom series by Netflix. I look forward to reading more of Clint Smith’s writings. I try to promote you to friends. Peace.
I don’t remember where/how I first learned about slavery. I think much of my understanding was as a result of media in my youth: Gone With the Wind, Roots. A particular historical narrative understanding, not necessarily accurate, and lacking in dimension. I can sum it up in this line (part of a poem I wrote reflecting on my anti racism journey):
“The narrative of Antebellum South
Of oppression
Tenderly delivered as past occurrence
Like dinosaurs and other fossils“
About 6-7 years ago, my daughter recommended “Blood Done Sign My Name”. It was the start of my Black History and Antiracism education. I began engaging and also finding connections to my current geography. I particularly seek traditionally non-centered voices and perspectives. I have learned much, but still have so much more to learn.
Austin, thank you so much for your work and for being willing to lead us is this way. In the storm of the last year, I was so desperate for voices of hope and leadership. You have offered that to the universe, and I am blessed to receive the gift.
Reading Clint's article is heartwrenching. Sadly, my education regarding the horrors of slavery and the continued effects of the 'religion of the lost cause' is coming to me late in life. When we see the truth glaring at us, it's hard to turn a blind eye. Again, thank you for sharing this information. No longer can I close my eyes to the pain or silence my mouth in speaking out.
Thank you for the link to the Chicago training session regarding stepping in when witnessing anti Asian harassment, or any racist harassment for that matter. The time meshed for me and was just as relevant. We were taught the Five D's. I was excited that 200 people across the country registered, less excited when I factored in population of USA. But it was great and 99% of respondents reported feeling confident practising one of the D's. We were asked not to screenshot or record the session but they will be holding more. Big thanks!
A moving and emotional article. I have preordered his book now. Thank you.
I can't wait to read this article, and thank you so much for including the bystander training information. I am going to be joining in on Thursday!
Clint Smith is such a powerful writer. I have started a comment and deleted multiple times. I find the power in the story is how he lets Martha and Ken unfold naturally. It shows the way we (as white people) try to mask, excuse and whitewash our shame. It is so much more effective (IMO) to tell their story and let their hypocrisy and lies reveal themselves. Then he comes in with truth, history, facts that dispel these lies that live on in history. I read this article in Atlantic some weeks ago and just can't let go. Keep coming back to it. Just read Adam Grant's book Think Again... he talks about how it is difficult to "convince" people of things, but you can simply hold up a mirror so that they can see themselves. This comes to mind in Clint Smith's writing and the way he weaves the story.
What a great essay. I'm haunted by The Whitney Plantation. I could write an essay so I'll try to gather thoughts.
I live in Australia, a country born out of a prison camp, genocide of the first nation peoples, and a desire for white purity, enshrined in the Federation in 1901. Aboriginal people were first recognised in the census in 1969 & allowed to vote. The White Australia Policy was overturned in 1972, allowing POC to migrate. So how much do I know about slavery & the Civil War ? Surprisingly, a fair bit because Australia looked outside itself for many many years. Our curriculum was Eurocentric and our popular culture was American. We studied the civil war in high school. (Australian history was Soooo boring as it was taught at the time). Funnily enough we weren't taught about the role the British played in the slave trade).
I remember being 12 when mum took me to see Gone with the Wind at the local cinema, a revised print. The two black actors Hattie Perkins and the young "lazy chile" stood out as alien creatures, heightened visions, stereotypes I would later come to know as tropes. We discussed the fact that the heroes actually were KKK!
We were taught from afar that "slavery was bad, segregation was bad", never realising there were two forms of slavery here, forced indenture of aboriginal people,and in the state of Queensland a slavery known as "blackbirding" occurred when Pacifica peoples and Torres Strait Islanders were captured and brought to work in the sugar cane fields. Last year, during the BLM demonstrations, our prime minister was forced to backtrack when he claimed that no slavery happened here.
In that climate it's really easy for Australians to condemn without really understanding nuances.
My eyes were really opened by a book "Deer Hunting with Jesus", by Joe Bageant. Please take the time to read this book even though it's set during the pre Obama administration. Joe went back to his working class town in the south. It was really clear that his relatives and other white impoverished people he interviewed felt betrayed by the Democrats, and took great comfort from the Southern confederate myths.
Recently I rewatched episodes of 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'True Blood' and these are actually steeped in confederacy mythos: in the finale of season one of the Vampire Diaries, Gone with the Wind is shown as a backdrop; in True Blood the main Vampire character is a "good" Confederate soldier who befriends people by telling them about their ancestors. Slavery isn't mentioned, and in both series the African American actors are witches, maintaining the myth that the only power women had was supernatural. This is reflected in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, where the Caribbean slave Tituba (so badly written), is represented as witch like. My point is two fold: popular culture has supported and sustained confederate myths as much as shows like Roots worked to tell the truth.
My 2nd point is that I'm truly grateful and hungry to learn via subscribing to you Austin, but unless I take these lessons to examine my backyard then it becomes simply voyeuristic: "oh but it didn't happen here". I'm so grateful that I can continue to unpack my learned racism while fighting to claim and reveal the true history of Australia and its ongoing injustices. The late director John Singleton put up this word at the beginning of his film 'Higher Education', "Unlearn". Thank you for helping me on this path. Janet Robertson
I have so many thoughts and emotions about the article. It was excellent. I have lived in Lee County, NC for 25 years now. I guess this helps me understand why some people spin false naratives but it truly makes me so mad. The Confederate flags, the monuments, the "it's our heritage" have always infuriated me. My brother lives outside of Savannah and they can't seem to understand why I don't want to go tour the city or see plantations. I wish there was some way to open people's hearts and eyes to the truth of the horrors of history.
I love this idea! Yay!
Also, If you’re a person who menstruates- Austin recommended Honey Pot products (so I bought some). They’re great and also come with a free pep talk on the packaging. 10/10 recommend.
Thank you Austin! And thanks to others who commented. We could chat for hours! I am once again shocked and saddened to learn of the myth some people choose to believe. I wonder how little humans have progressed. When a teen, my pastor preached that all are equal. And this I believed. I grew up in a dominantly white community. My parents made the effort to invite international students and mission workers to our home. In college I met another student who happened to be black. We married and had two children. A couple years ago a neighbor was overheard saying she could not imagine have sex with a black man. I have not been able to speak to her since then. In 2012 I saw the movie Django with my adult son. Recently We watched The Lost Pirate Kingdom series by Netflix. I look forward to reading more of Clint Smith’s writings. I try to promote you to friends. Peace.
I don’t remember where/how I first learned about slavery. I think much of my understanding was as a result of media in my youth: Gone With the Wind, Roots. A particular historical narrative understanding, not necessarily accurate, and lacking in dimension. I can sum it up in this line (part of a poem I wrote reflecting on my anti racism journey):
“The narrative of Antebellum South
Of oppression
Tenderly delivered as past occurrence
Like dinosaurs and other fossils“
About 6-7 years ago, my daughter recommended “Blood Done Sign My Name”. It was the start of my Black History and Antiracism education. I began engaging and also finding connections to my current geography. I particularly seek traditionally non-centered voices and perspectives. I have learned much, but still have so much more to learn.
Austin, thank you so much for your work and for being willing to lead us is this way. In the storm of the last year, I was so desperate for voices of hope and leadership. You have offered that to the universe, and I am blessed to receive the gift.