“But What Will We Tell the Children?”
It is imperative to tell our children the truth about America: that all of our systems profit off of and perpetuate anti-Black racism.
This Feels Like Violence’: One School District, the BLM Flag, and a Broken Dialogue
An article by students at Mill River Union High School that tells the story of student Reese Eldert-Moore’s struggle to get her high school to raise the Black Lives Matter flag.
This article uses graphs and text to expose how concerns from President Johnson’s Kerner Commission from 1968 still run rampant and need to be addressed today, including extreme segregation, limited housing choices, concentrated poverty, and poor schools.
99 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
Antiracist actions white people can take.
A Century After the Race Massacre, Tulsa Confronts its Bloody Past
An article telling the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre, largely through the stories of descendants of the tragedy’s eyewitnesses.
“American Indians” in Children’s Literature
A critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children’s and young adult books.
As Women of Color Leave Rutland and Bennington Counties, Vermonters Reckon with Racism
An article that tells the story of multiple Black women leaving the state of Vermont— forcing the overwhelmingly white state to face the reality that some of its citizens of color don’t feel welcome within its bounds.
An article that details the racial barriers that Black pioneer chemist Percy Julian had to endure up until his death 32 years ago, that still present for Black people in STEM in the present day.
Black Lives Matter Just Entered Its New Phase
An analysis of the current moment in the Black Lives Matter movement and the Movement for Black Lives’ 2020 platform.
Black Lives Matter Movement Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
An article describing Norwegian Parliament Member, Petter Eide’s, nomination of The Black Lives Matter Movement for the 2021 Nobel peace prize for the way its call for systemic change has spread around the world.
California is Named for a Griffin-Riding Black Warrior Queen
An article that tells the story of Calafia, revealing the surprising complexity of medieval attitudes about race.
We Must Fight the Commodification of Everybody and Everything
An interview with philosopher and activist Cornel West in which he discusses the recent presidential election and why a democratic socialist vision is necessary to overcome capitalism and build a better society.
Disinvested: How Government and Private Industry Let the Main Street of a Black Neighborhood Crumble
This article tells the story of a once-thriving retail strip in East Garfield Park that, a half century after Chicago’s uprisings in 1968, still suffers from broken promises, bad policy, and neglect.
A web-based workbook originally designed to support the Dismantling Racism Works workshop, including information about current civil rights movements and COVID, assumptions, internalizations, analysis tools, extra resources, white supremacy culture, and action tools.
Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Impacts of Racism on the Foundations of Health
A study from researchers at Harvard that investigates how toxic stress, especially from sources such as institutional/structural racism, cultural racism, and interpersonal discrimination, can undermine the building blocks of optimal health and development during early childhood.
Faces of Power: 80% Are White, Even as U.S. Becomes More Diverse
A visualization of the racial demographics of 900 of the country’s most powerful people, 80% of whom are white.
Ferguson Prepared America For This Moment
How the 2014 Ferguson, MI protests set the stage for the current Black Lives Matter movement.
Hartford Selectboard Member Resigns, Citing Experiences of ‘Blatant Bigotry’
Details previous Hartford Selectboard member Alicia Burrows’ decision to step down from her position as a result of safety concerns and ‘blatant bigotry’ experienced in her community.
Hundreds of Black Faculty, Students Say Dartmouth College is ‘Racially Hostile’
The Valley News describes a letter to the Dartmouth College administration, signed by more than 300 members of the Dartmouth community, asserting that Dartmouth needs to take concrete steps to unravel its structural racism, as well as the response and actions of the college to the current Black Lives Matter movement.
I AM . . . 2021:
A Virtual Exhibit
A virtual exhibit and event series celebrating 19 artists from the “I Am a Vermont Artist” series– an exploration of how their creative expressions reflect their experiences of ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability, or age.
I Covered the Rodney King and Freddie Gray Riots. This Moment Feels Different. That’s Why I’m Afraid
A reporter reflects on his coverage of demonstrations fighting police brutality and describes why the current moment feels different and why he is still afraid for the future.
I Helped Fact-Check the 1619 Project. The Times Ignored Me
A historian of African-American life and slavery describes the avoidable mistakes within the New York Times 1619 Project and NYT is working towards a necessary, corrective history.
Implicit Bias’ Trainings Don’t Actually Change Police Behavior
Delving into implicit bias training: anti-racism courses are too short, too simplistic— and may be making things worse.
A project from The Atlantic that strives to uncover the history of Black America that has been lost, forgotten, or distorted.
Kesha Ram: The Souls of Black Folk and the Roles of White Folk
VT Democratic state senator, Kesha Ram, reflects on the way W. E. DuBois’ idea of Black double-consciousness in America shows up today, and the way anti-Black racism eats away at the souls of people every color.
Kristen Clarke’s Civil Rights Record Led Her To Barrier-Breaking DOJ Nomination
A 3-minute podcast and article from NPR about Kristen Clarke, an attorney nominated by President Biden to be the first woman and first woman of color to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
On his website, Owens— considered one of the leaders of the next generation of Dharma teachers— encourages conversation on topics such as sex, race, identity, gender, class, power, depression; Owens recently published a book titled, Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger.
McKone: Hate Speech Tramples Human Rights, in a Mockery of Democracy
Written by a Montpelier resident, this article discusses the overwhelming impact of white supremacist hate speech in Vermont and argues for it to be banned.
The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles is dedicated to telling the story of the Holocaust in both a historical and contemporary context and encouraging the confrontation of discrimination and injustice.
Native Americans Were Already Decimated By a Virus. They’re Scared it Could Happen Again
An article detailing the medical, economic, and cultural reasons why Indigenous/First Nations people and communities are so vulnerable to COVID-19.
A summary and analysis of Octavio Paz’, The Labyrinth of Solitude, an exploration of Mexico’s quest for identity.
Patriarchal Violence: Misogyny from the Far Right to the Mainstream
An analysis of the way gender, misogyny, and gender-based violence manifest and operate within forms of racially and religiously motivated hate.
Pioneer of the Look: Paul R. Williams Wasn’t Just ‘Architect to the Stars’, He Shaped the City
Tells the story of prolific Black architect Paul Williams, including the lack of publicity he received despite his achievements and insights into six of his works that tell his design story and, by extension, the story of Los Angeles.
A summary and analysis of Preaching to the Chickens by Jabari Asim, which tells the story of John Lewis’ childhood.
Race, Policing, and History — Remembering the Freedom House Ambulance Service
An article that tells the story of community-based sociomedical program, Freedom House, as both an example of citizens recognizing and addressing needs in Black communities, but also as a cautionary tale of how well-intentioned leaders can undermine the goals of Black community empowerment.
Report: People of Color Face Harassment and Threats in Elections, Health Care, Good Jobs
This new report provides data showing that people of color in Vermont have been the targets of harassment and threats.
Risk of Being Killed by Police Use of Force in the United States by Age, Race-Ethnicity, and Sex
A study investigating police violence that finds that for young men of color, police use of force is one of the leading causes of death— the odds of dying by police violence is about 1 in 1,000 for Black men.
Robert Walsh: We Must Improve Teaching of African American History
Former high school teacher and state representative, adjunct faculty member at UVM, and author, Robert Walsh, traces the history of racism in America and advocates for African American history to be inserted into all aspects of secondary school curriculum, and for bill H. 79 to be passed in VT.
The tale of an attack on the predominantly African American town of Rosewood, Florida in 1923 by large groups of white aggressors.
The Lies We Tell Ourselves About Race
NPR host Sam Sanders describes the way the insurrection at the U.S. capital was just another chapter in America’s ongoing battle with race, and how the response of, “This isn’t America!” is a lie.
A slide presentation introducing the Black Lives Matter movement and Say Her Name movement, as well as biographies of a couple of the black victims murdered by police.
Ta-Nehisi Coates Has an Incredibly Clear Explanation for Why White People Shouldn’t Use the N-Word
Ta-Nehisi Coates explains why white people shouldn’t use the N-word and what not using it can teach them.
An ongoing initiative to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative. NOTE: Numerous critiques of the project raise concerns about factual errors/debates, etc.
The Black Female Batallion That Stood Up to a White Male Army
The story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion in World War II, the largest unit of Black servicewomen to ever deploy overseas.
The Black-White Wage Gap Is as Big as It Was in 1950
A graphical explanation of the Black-White wage gap between 1950 and the present, indicating that little progress has been made.
The First Black Astronaut and America’s Secret Outer-Space Spy Program
The story of the first Black astronaut, Major Robert Lawrence.
The Ghosts of Elaine, Arkansas, 1919
The story of the Elaine Massacre and an analysis of its absence from mainstream historical narratives.
The Life and Adventures of Nat Love
The personal narrative of the life of Nat Love, 1854-1921: “a True History of Slavery Days,
Life on the Great Cattle Ranges and on the Plains of the ‘Wild and Woolly’ West.”
The Perils of “People of Color”
An argument for the value of the phrase “people of color” in offering a route to universal liberation.
The Racial Equity Sidekick Pledge
A pledge to be a thoughtful, educated, and humble racial equity sidekick.
The Real Story of Black Martha’s Vineyard
The story of Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard and its history as a haven for Blacks in the mid-20th century, as well as how locals experience it today.
The Value of the Federal Writers’ Project Slave Narratives
An article that tells the story of individuals, and their descendants, who told their stories from enslavement as a part of the Federal Writers’ Project.
The White Backlash Has Begun. Again.
Ashton Lattimore argues that pattern of racist white backlash to the barest hint of racial progress continues today, and that lawless white supremacists need to be held accountable.
The White Journey to Racial Awareness:
A Stage Theory
This Education Week article presents a 5-stage theory of the white journey to racial awareness.
The White Supremacist Origins of Modern Marriage Advice
Based on archives of early 20th-century books about courtship and marriage written by physicians and sexologists, this article explains how modern heterosexual marriage advice stems from an intersection of white supremacy and misogyny.
The Wilmington Massacre Is a Lesson in American History
The story of white supremacist soldiers and police hunting down and killing at least sixty Black men in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1865.
The Writer Helping People Care for the Land— and for Themselves
An interview with writer, speaker and founder of the consulting firm “Wellbeing Works’, Shanna B. Tiayon explores homesteading, the fight for racial and food justice, and what she has in store for the future.
They’re Fed Up With America’s Racism. So They’re Moving to Africa.
The story of multiple young Blacks’ decisions and ensuing professional and personal success in moving from racist America to Ghana.
This Boss is Making Race Relations a Business Matter
The story of how the U.S. chief of PricewaterhouseCoopers has made discussions about race, gun violence and justice a priority there.
This Is What White Supremacy Looks Like in Our High Schools
The story of a high school teacher’s experiences challenging systemic racism in his high school classrooms.
This Project Powerfully Captures The Wonders of Black Joy
Kleaver Cruz’ The Black Joy Project elevates depictions of black happiness, one story at a time.
To Reduce Racial Inequality, Raise the Minimum Wage
Argues that diversity and inclusion programs for elites are tokens and a large wage increase that would most benefit the Black working class is far better.
Traffic Stop Report Shows Lack of Progress on Racial Disparities
This new traffic stop study from UVM, using six years of data, shows that racial profiling of Black people has continued unabated, despite marijuana legalization and years of attempts at police reform.
Trump Supports Housing Segregation— and So Do A Lot of White Liberals
The vast Black-White disparities in housing are the foundation of America’s systemic racial inequalities, and white folks of all political stripes are loath to upset the status quo.
Vermont’s Lack of Racial Diversity is a Retention Problem, Not a Recruitment Problem
The first woman of color to serve in the VT state senate, Kesha Ram, describes community environments, policing, and attitudes that render BIPOC residents unsafe and unwelcomed in Vermont.
What’s Really Orwellian About Our Global Black Lives Matter Moment
Describes the ways that George Orwell’s writings shed light on the current Black Lives Matter movement.
The story of the FBI’s surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr. and how it reflects a paranoia about Black activism that is foundational to American politics.
When the KKK Played Against an All-Black Baseball Team
The story of a 1925 Wichita, Kansas baseball game between a KKK team and an all-Black team.
When Will the North Face Its Racism?
Although the South, in matters of racial injustice, has been the center of attention since before the time of the Civil War, the North has only recently dealt with the paradox of an enlightened ideal coexisting with racial disparity, although the problems have been there all along.
White Anti-Racism: Living the Legacy
Explores what the phrase “white antiracism” means, what mistakes can be made, what obstacles are in the way, and more.
An interview with author, Ijeoma Oluo, about race, racism, and her life.
White Vigilantes Have Always Had A Friend In Police
An explanation of new data that shows that far-right vigilantes, often with support from police officers, have threatened protesters nearly 500 times since George Floyd’s murder.
Hartford VT Antiracism & DEI Resource Library 