Waking up White by Debby Irving, Elephant Room Press
http://www.friendsjournal.org/waking-up-white-and-finding-myself-in-the-story-of-race-books/
As frequently occurs, I have the DC Public Library's new books shelf to thank for this selection. It's about race, talking about race & understanding that "Race 'R Us". Debby Irving is the American Dream, educated, accomplished, privileged, secure, entitled & even in possession of a strong sense of noblesse oblige. She has awakened to discover that she owes what she has to unknown benefactors who have had to pay for her status. & even worse, she had thought it was all because she was deserving! Suddenly "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more." - maybe the great American Dream as we know it is a zero-sum game & we've been cheating.
More to follow.
For another perspective on The Dream, read Ta-Nehisi Coates new book "Between the World and Me" about which Toni Morrison said "This is required reading". The book reminded me of the Langston Hughes poem "Let America be America Again".
ReplyDeleteLet America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(There's never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")