The New York Times on March 19 reported that a sweeping new study found that black boys in America end up earning less than white boys with similar backgrounds, even when they’re raised in wealthy, two-parent families in good neighborhoods

Fitzpatrick, Edward

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The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility”

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Roger Williams UniversityDOCS@RWUFeatured News Story The Week at Roger3-27-2018The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “WhiteFragility”Edward FitzpatrickRoger Williams UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_newsPart of the Higher Education CommonsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The Week at Roger at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in FeaturedNews Story by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact mwu@rwu.edu.Recommended CitationFitzpatrick, Edward, "The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility”" (2018). Featured News Story. 88.https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_news/886/14/2018 The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility” | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/roots-racism-and-challenge-white-fragility 1/4Home News News Archive The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility”The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of“White Fragility”Antiracist scholars Ibram Kendi and Robin DiAngelo visit RWUApril 4 to cap year-long series “Talking About Race, Genderand Power”On Wednesday, April 4, Ibram Kendi will speak at Roger WilliamsUniversity along with Robin DiAngelo, an instructor and trainer onracial and social justice issues who focuses on the concept of“white fragility” and why white people perceive even minimumamounts of racial stress as unbearable.March 27, 2018 Edward FitzpatrickBRISTOL, R.I.  – The New York Times on March 19 reported that a sweeping new study found that black boys inAmerica end up earning less than white boys with similar backgrounds, even when they’re raised in wealthy, two-parentfamilies in good neighborhoods.While white boys who grow up rich are likely to remain that way, black boys raised in wealth are more likely than whiteboys to become poor, researchers at Stanford University, Harvard University and the U.S. Census Bureau found.One of the  rst experts quoted in that New York Times article was Ibram Kendi, a professor and director of the AntiracistResearch and Policy Center at American University. “One of the most popular liberal post-racial ideas is the idea that thefundamental problem is class and not race, and clearly this study explodes that idea,” he said. “But for whatever reason,we’re unwilling to stare racism in the face.”On Wednesday, April 4, Kendi will speak at Roger Williams University along with Robin DiAngelo, an instructor andtrainer on racial and social justice issues who focuses on the concept of “white fragility” and why white people perceiveeven minimum amounts of racial stress as unbearable.6/14/2018 The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility” | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/roots-racism-and-challenge-white-fragility 2/4Kendi and DiAngelo will make individual presentations during the day before taking part in a joint presentation in theevening. The event is the capstone in RWU’s year-long series “Talking About Race, Gender and Power,” and part of thePresident’s Distinguished Speaker Series.“I do believe that in the United States, racial issues are ground zero for talking about issues of power and dominance,”RWU Chief Diversity O cer Ame Lambert said. “So I am excited to have these renowned scholars on campus.”The University deliberately chose a black scholar (Kendi) and a white scholar (DiAngelo) who both do anti-racism work“to represent the polarities of racial conversation in America,” Lambert said. “As we do the work of diversity, equity andinclusion, we are challenged to engage with the complexity of racial identities that are not black or white and thecomplexity of oppression that is not racial, while keeping race and black/white issues at the heart of the conversation.”Kendi is an awarding-winning historian who is a professor of history and international relations at American University.His work explores anti-black racist ideas throughout American history, how those ideas have been combated in thepast, and how to combat them in the present and future.Kendi is the New York Times-bestselling author of “Stamped from the Beginning: A De nitive History of Racist Ideas.”He is working on his next book, “How to Be an Antiracist,” which aims to reshape the racial discourse and guide readerson how to participate in building an antiracist society. It is scheduled to be published later this year.DiAngelo is an acclaimed instructor and trainer on racial and social justice issues primarily focused on the concept of“white fragility,” a term she coined in 2011. She was appointed, along with Darlene Flynn, to co-design the city ofSeattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative Anti-Racism training. Her work has been featured in Salon, NPR, Slate, theAtlantic and the New York Times.6/14/2018 The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility” | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/roots-racism-and-challenge-white-fragility 3/4DiAngelo has written a book, due out this summer, titled “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White PeopleAbout Racism,” which delves into the social environment of North America that protects white people from race-basedstress. In it, she explains her term “white fragility” and why white people perceive even the minimum amount of racialstress as unbearable and respond to it with a range of defensive behaviors.Kendi’s session, “Do Hate and Ignorance Create Racist Policies?” will run from 2 to 3 p.m. April 4 in RWU School of LawAppellate Courtroom 283.DiAngelo’s session, “White Fragility: A Challenge to Constructive Racial Conversations,” will run from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.April 4 in the RWU Feinstein School of Arts & Sciences Room 157.Their joint presentation, “A Dialogue on Race and Power,” will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 4 in the CampusRecreation Center Gymnasium.Events in the President’s Distinguished Speakers Series are free and open to the public, with no tickets or reservationsrequired. Any questions may be directed to (401) 254-3166.ACADEMICS ALUMNIShare This: REQUEST INFO  VISIT CAMPUS  APPLY  MAKE A GIFT6/14/2018 The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility” | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/roots-racism-and-challenge-white-fragility 4/4Map & DirectionsContact UsDirectoryNewsEventsAthleticsrwu.eduUndergraduate SiteGraduate SiteSchool of LawSchool of Continuing Studies    © 2018 Roger Williams University. All rights reserved.  GMAIL AT RWU BRIDGES MY RWU IT HELP SITE POLICIES WORK AT RWUOne Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI 028091-800-458-7144

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The Roots of Racism and the Challenge of “White Fragility”

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