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White Silence on Juneteenth

On Being Complicit While Celebrating Slavery's End and Jim Crow's Beginning

By Stephen WaldenPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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Today is Juneteenth, a celebration of the day on which the last remaining slaves were made aware of their freedom in 1865. However, it must be noted that not long after this was accomplished, an entirely new condition akin to slavery was implemented throughout the states.

First, former slave states established the “Black Codes.” These were extremely strict guidelines by which all African Americans must live, and any minor violation resulted in their detainment and return to labor on the very plantations from which they had been liberated.

When the Fourteenth Amendment made these statutes null and void, the southern state legislatures scrambled to create new policies that relegated persons of color to the status of second-class citizens. These laws would go on to oppress the African American community for almost a century while legal, and their lingering effects continue to haunt us to this day.

Still, it is right to take a day to remember the hard-fought victory that Juneteenth celebrates. It was felt the most by those directly affected, but it is also a remarkable achievement for America and our truest values. Sadly, it is not given the deference that it rightly deserves by mainstream society. This is indicative that we still have great progress to make in the arena of civil rights and equality between white society and communities of color.

I teach 11th grade US History in Oklahoma. While our state-sanctioned standards include references to the Tulsa Race Riot and our own homegrown civil rights pioneers (Clara Luper, Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, etc.), we still teach from textbooks that focus primarily on white contributions to our collective history. A healthy part of my classroom curriculum is dedicated to educating my students about the struggles and accomplishments of all Americans, intentionally including those from minority communities and their stories. I believe that it is important to developing a healthy sense of identity as an American and truly understanding our story so far.

Still, we hear racist dog whistles throughout society telling us that racism is a thing of the past, that white privilege doesn't exist, that mentioning current inequality is “race baiting” and we should just shut up about it. I can't, in good conscience, allow these forces to dominate the conversation and crowd out the story of struggle as it really is, because there is much to be told and much to be learned. White silence is contributing to the larger epidemic of systemic racism which claims the freedom and the lives of our African American brothers and sisters on a daily basis.

It is crucial that white Americans who believe in the value of inclusion be willing to use our voices and especially our bodies, regardless of consequence, into the political fray if we ever want to realize the values espoused by our founding fathers. There is a dormancy that is afforded by our privilege which makes it so much easier to sit back and say nothing. This goes for self-appointed “progressives” as well as the rest of white society.

Perhaps the most nefarious tactic in avoiding the problems we face is the blame-shifting that occurs when white people bring up problems within minority communities. This is a clear effort to distract from their complicity in the problem and thus, avoid any responsibility. Absolutely no one is arguing that 100 percent of the problems within any given segment of society are the fault of another, nor are they arguing that the same outside forces can or even should attempt to fix them. The point is that unless we are fully honest about the conditions which prompt such complications arise, they are sure to get worse, never better.

The first step to progress for some is acknowledging that white privilege exists. No one is saying that your life wasn't tough or full of adversities specific to your circumstance. What we are saying is that by having white skin, you possess a default advantage in society. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has noted the the unemployment rate for African Americans is nearly double that of their white counterparts. That could have something to do with the conditions under which African Americans are educated before they enter the workforce. A study by the Department of Education concluded that white students are significantly less likely to attend “high poverty” schools than communities of color.

So what can we do about it? It's clearly not enough to share articles about this topic (or even write them, as I am doing). We must commit ourselves to activist principles that lobby for equality under the law.

Start by researching legislation that affects our African American neighbors and their lives in our communities and call your lawmakers on their behalf. Research what local activist groups are doing to counter racist policies and their implementation. Speak up when you hear racist rhetoric and language from fellow white folks because they believe that they're in safe company. You'll definitely know it's coming when you hear the phrase "I'm not racist, but..." Failure to call out such nonsense is as harmful as articulating it.

Be willing to put your body on the line or do not speak about how “not racist” you are. White silence is complicity in oppression.

Happy Juneteenth, everyone.

activism
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About the Creator

Stephen Walden

Stephen Walden is an 11th grade US History Teacher from Oklahoma.

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