This emotionally charged program follows five participants of different ethnic and racial backgrounds through a three-day Unlearning Racism workshop. As the workshop begins, a European-American man offends his African-American workshop partner by making a joke during a one-on-one dialogue. The incident sparks anger among African-American participants, who openly confront the offender. White participants in the workshop express their frustration over their inability to understand the reactions of the people of color. The five main participants later meet to reflect on the honest sharing of feelings that took place during the workshop. This program represents both a strong statement on the complex issues surrounding racism and an honest depiction of the difficulties involved in resolving them.
This program brings viewers face-to-face with the mindless ugliness and irrevocable consequences of racism. Examining five case studies in which racism led to violence, we see how each act destroyed not only its victim, but others as well, including the perpetrator. Each case leaves in its wake a string of broken lives—strained marriages, financial ruin, psychologically traumatized adults and children. The inevitable conclusion is: hate destroys. Anyone tempted to take racism lightly will benefit from this program.
The young adult novel "The Hate U Give" tells the story of a teenager whose childhood friend is shot and killed by a police officer. In the book, now a finalist for a National Book Award and Kirkus Prize, author Angie Thomas addresses difficult topics including race relations, police violence and racial stereotypes. NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Alison Stewart spoke with Thomas
In this ABC News Nightline, the death of Cynthia Wiggins sparks a controversial debate about latent racism in Buffalo, New York, and its suburbs. Wiggins died when struck by a tractor trailer while crossing a major highway to her job at an upscale, suburban mall. She had arrived by bus from an inner-city neighborhood. Racism was charged when investigators discovered that the planners and the mall’s operator had conspired to prevent the bus route serving the inner city from stopping at the mall to discourage a poor, black clientele.
African American Lives
Henry Louis Gates, Jr: African American Lives: An Overview