BHM Series #15: American Denial
This month, I am especially excited to learn more about the African-Americans who have made our country great. And, as I mentioned in a previous post, Black History Month isn’t just about celebrating the contributions of African-American heroes and heroines. It’s also about raising awareness about the harmful effects of racial inequality in our country.
One of the most powerful steps we can take this month is to examine the effects of internalized bias on the way we view the world and share these conversations with our loved ones and in our communities. In my search for knowledge, I am coming across some great resources that I’d like to share with you!
(This is the fifteenth in a series of posts devoted to celebrating Black History Month. To see more posts in this series, click here.)
American Denial
We are far from done talking about race. “For something like 75% of white Americans. It’s very hard to put BLACK and GOOD together.” – Mahzarin Banaji, Experimental Psychologist. This quote is from a new film airing tonight that…
sheds light on the unconscious political and moral world of modern Americans, using archival footage, newsreels, nightly news reports, and rare southern home movies from the ‘30s and ‘40s, as well as research footage, websites, and YouTube films showing psychological testing of racial attitudes.”
This film presents a diverse group of experts offering insight and personal stories about the ways race plays out in America.
“The result is a unique and provocative film that challenges our assumptions about who we are and what we really believe.”
Check out a clip below:
Go to the film website for more information or to download discussion guides for the film.
American Denial airs tonight in the Bay Area on KQED @ 10pm. Check local listings for more scheduling info.
What are you doing to understand the history of racism in our country? How are you sharing your knowledge with your children, coworkers, family members? Please share your ideas, resources and comments below!
Want more ideas? Check out these related reads: Learn more about Implicit Bias, Black History Month: #8 Three Great Videos on Racism by Chesicaleigh, Why We Can’t Talk About Honors Programs without Talking About Race
Related Reads: Click here to view more posts in this series.
My homework assignment: Inspired by this hilarious (and to the point)SNL skit, 28 Reasons to Hug a Black Man, I have decided to write 28 posts highlighting African-American culture and heritage (roughly one for each day of the month)… (See the video and read more about my reasons for writing this series here.)