Black Lives Matter

The National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian Institute, has put together this guide. Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. We are here to provide tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.

Peggy McIntosh's papers on White Privilege are the ones most cited on the subject around the world, according to Google Scholar. Publications that have mentioned her work include the New Yorker (5/12/2014) and the Washington Post (1/22/2016). She insists, however, that her work is "about my experience, not about the experiences of all white people in all times and places and circumstances." We therefore present two of her papers on privilege, together with her piece titled, "Some Notes for Facilitators on Presenting My White Privilege Papers," in which she explains her intentions and offers suggestions for how to use this work in a classroom or other group setting.

Change is hard. Creating effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of power, privilege, supremacy and leadership is like any lifestyle change. Setting our intentions and adjusting what we spend our time doing is essential. It’s all about building new habits. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. For 21 days, do one action to further your understanding of power, privilege, supremacy, oppression, and equity. Plan includes suggestions for readings, podcasts, videos, observations, and ways to form and deepen community connections.