White Allies in the Struggle for Racial Justice

Overview

"An important contribution to the literature about our nation's long struggle with the human evil of racism." --Stephen G. Ray, Jr., in Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology

"The American dilemma of racism endures, but White Allies offers a hopeful tradition of antiracism that activists and educators can draw from." --Chris Staysniak, in Catholic Library World

"White people who wish to move beyond paralyzed guilt into action will find it an invaluable resource." --Joseph Morgan-Smith, in Religious Studies Review

This inspirational book profiles 18 white Americans who broke with a racist culture to join in the struggle for racial justice— from early abolitionists, to partners in the civil rights struggle, to contemporary figures of our own time. White Allies challenges the idea that racial justice is a concern only for people of color, and shows that there are and have been white men and women who took up this challenge, often at great risk. At a time of renewed attention to the ongoing scourge of racial injustice, their stories are intended to inspire, raise consciousness, and motivate action on behalf of equality and human dignity.

Among the featured stories:

John Woolman, an 18th-century Quaker who set out on a personal mission to persuade his fellow Quakers to renounce complicity with slavery.

Angelina Grimké, a Southerner who broke with her family to join the abolitionist struggle.

Clarence Jordan, a Baptist preacher who founded an interracial community in Georgia and faced the wrath of the KKK.

Viola Liuzzo, a mother and housewife from Detroit killed by the Klan while supporting the freedom march in Selma, Alabama.

Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has fought white supremacist groups in the courts.

Also included are study questions making White Allies for Racial Justice ideal for reading clubs, college classes, and adult education and action.

Drick Boyd is associate professor of urban studies at Eastern University in Philadelphia. He is a coeditor of Spirituality in Higher Education and Justice in a Pluralistic Society (Left Coast, 2011).