Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice: 15 Stories

While we are all familiar with the lives of prominent Black civil rights leaders, few of us have a sense of what developing a White antiracist identity entails. Few of us can name the White activists who joined the struggle against discrimination, let alone understand the complexities, stresses, and contradictions of doing this work while benefiting from the privileges they enjoyed as Whites. This book fills that gap by vividly presenting the personal stories, experiences, and reflections of 15 prominent White antiracists. The contributors recount the circumstances that led them to undertake this work, describe key moments and insights about their journeys and frankly admit their continuing lapses and mistakes. They make it clear that confronting oppression (including their own prejudices) is a lifelong process of learning. This is an eye-opening book for anyone who wants to understand what it means to be White together with the reality of what is involved in becoming a White antiracist and social justice advocate; is interested in the paths taken by those who have gone before; and wants to engage reflectively and critically in this difficult and important work.