Consider the work of former Mississippi Governor William
Winter who has established the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation.
This wonderful organization is multifaceted in its work to eliminate racism and
bring about reconciliation. One of the best examples of their work was when
they were invited to go to Philadelphia, MS where the three civil rights
workers were slain in 1964. They helped the townspeople work through
truth-telling to get to a point of reconciliation between whites and blacks.
Even more recently they arranged for an exchange of twenty students from
Philadelphia, MS and twenty students from Tallahatchie in the Mississippi Delta
where Emmett Till was brutally murdered in 1955 to learn each other’s history –
to tell their stories. Because of the work of the Institute, Mississippi has
seen a number of changes, for example, curriculum in the public schools has
been changed to include the civil rights movement.
Their mission is to “foster reconciliation and civic renewal
wherever people suffer as a result of racial discrimination or alienation, and
promote scholarly research, study and teaching on race and the impact of race
and racism.” The work of the Institute goes far beyond the borders of
Mississippi. They were involved in the “America Healing: Racial Equity
Communities of Practice Conference” made up of over 140 organizations and
individuals who work toward racial healing here in our country, among their many
other projects and educational outreach.
There are a number of grass-roots organizations all around
the United States that are working for the same goals. The Minority Round Table
of Hampton Roads in Virginia is one example. Founded in 1994, they work to
gather individuals from the diverse ethnic backgrounds in the area to come
together in forums and work on common problems and exchange information – to
tell their stories. The Memphis Race Relations and Diversity Institute in
Tennessee is another example. They work with businesses to truly understand
about diversity and how to successfully handle it within their particular
business. The Greensboro (NC) Truth and Community Reconciliation Project
follows much of what was learned from South Africa and Mississippi. In Georgia
the Moore’s Ford Memorial Committee built a “living memorial to promote justice
and racial reconciliation” a generation after the killing of two black couples
by whites in 1946. Birmingham, Alabama – once considered the most racist place
in America –has programs not only through the Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute, but also through the Birmingham Metro Diversity Coalition. The BMDC coordinates
all of the organizations that are working for racial justice and harmony in
that city. The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program is
far-reaching in thousands of schools to promote understanding.
These projects and organizations are nationwide. Consider
the youth-led Racial Healing and Reconciliation Project in New England that
deals with many issues of race relations. It also looks at the connection
between race and public health issues as does the Racial Healing and
Reconciliation Documentary Project in Jamaica, NY. In Tampa, Florida the “Race
With History” and “Listening Beyond the Lines” provides CDs and videos telling
the stories. Because three young black men were lynched in Duluth, Minnesota
there is the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial, “a public commitment to
acknowledge its (Duluth’s) painful history and move forward to a more just and
inclusive community.” And for providing educational materials internationally
one can go to “Facing History and Ourselves” in Brookline, Massachusetts. The
website for “blackgivesback” provides insight into many of the projects going
on across our country. I am so impressed by the work and enthusiasm of the
Birmingham Change Fund and the Community Investment Networks around the country
where African-Americans are investing time and money in philanthropic
endeavors.
I only have mentioned a few of the hundreds and hundreds of
things going on in our country to promote harmony between races. Do we need to
do more? Of course, we do. Even so, I have come to believe that the dream of
Dr. King lives on. I believe that racial reconciliation is possible. However,
we cannot achieve it by ignoring our history. We must listen to each other as
both sides share their stories. We must be involved in truth-telling.
Reconciliation will not happen easily, but it can happen. It’s up to all of us.
It’s up to you.
I welcome your comments.
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