In my high school of 1000 students, all of our teachers and staff were white. My class was nearly all-white. We had a small handful of Asians and Indians, out of a class of 250, and I think that was only because they fulfilled the stereotype of being smart, which helped make our school look good.

[blockquote type=”center”]”Omitted events usually signify hidden fault lines in our culture.” (213)[/blockquote]

Absence means something. Who is not present? Who is not represented? Who is not heard from? What do we lose when we surround ourselves with only like-minded people?

What voices are absent from your everyday life?

[blockquote type=”left”]”Newcomers become just like everybody else…which explains why sundown towns that were quite small before suburbanization usually stay all-white after suburbanization, even though nine-tenths of their population may now be new arrivals. Sundown acorns produce white oak trees. Socialization to suburbia thus increases the level of racism in metropolitan areas, as people move from multiracial cities to all-white suburbs.” (301)[/blockquote]

Acorns produce oak trees. What are some of your beliefs right now, on any topic, and where did they come from? How many of them have roots in how you grew up or what your parents taught you?

What racial demographics did you grow up with, and is it possible that has influenced your beliefs on racial issues today?

[container]

This series is available in a handy 40 page pdf that includes journaling space for the personal questions.

Buy now

[/container]
[container]

An Integrated Life

a series studying the book Sundown Towns by James Loewen

[/container]

[container]
Part 1 – A Series
Part 2 – Our Racist Foundations
Part 3 – What Are We Taught Is Normal?
Part 4 – All Whites Are Responsible
Part 5 – What Are You Known For Supporting
Part 6 – What Makes You Stay Silent?
Part 7 – Gravitating Towards the Comfortable
Part 8 – Social Exclusion
Part 9 – Restrictive Covenants and Governments
Part 10 – Do You Live in a Sundown Town? Before You Say No…
Part 11 – Still Forming Sundown Towns Today
Part 12 – Sundown Suburbs = NIMBY
Part 13 – City Schools, Suburb Schools
Part 14 – What Are You Supporting With Your Way of Life?
Part 15 – Living In Fear
Part 16 – An Historical Comparison
Part 17 – Hidden Fault Lines
Part 18 – Reputations Are Important
Part 19 – Until We Solve the Problem of Sundown Neighborhoods…
Part 20 – The TL;DR Version

[/container]