White Roles Where Blacks Lead

“We are living in a historic moment. A new Black Liberation movement has been rising in this country and uniting under the banner of ‘Black Lives Matter.’” Spurred by police and vigilante murders of Black people and racist responses to protest over the treatment of these deaths, this movement is led by a new generation of Black organizers, artists, activists, and media producers who are inspiring people of all races to dream of a world that realizes liberation for all people: The Movement for Black Lives

These words could almost have been written in the 60’s by organizations such as SNCC, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee when referring to the Black Power movement in that period. Stokely Carmichael, one of the leaders of SNCC summarized the Black Power philosophy as:

“It is a call for black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community. It is a call for black people to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations.”

In the Civil Rights movement of Martin Luther King, there was a role for white people. They worked and protested along with their black brothers and sisters, feeling very much a part of the movement for change. However, as a new movement of young black leaders began to emerge, so does the need for these black and brown communities to look to themselves for leadership and direction. It was a time for black people to celebrate their blackness and to take power into their own hands. They believed that the presence of whites in their events and meetings stifled and intimidated and they saw a different role for the whites in their midst.

“It must be offered that white people who desire change in this country should go where that problem (racism) is most manifest. The problem is not in the black community. The white people should go into white communities where the whites have created power for the express purpose of denying blacks human dignity and self-determination.” Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Position Paper

This was very challenging for many white people who had dedicated their lives to the struggle for civil rights, and now felt a sense of accomplishment as barriers to desegregation came down with them as partners in the fight. Not only did many feel rejected, but for some, the more militant stance of groups such as the Black Panthers and SNCC was threatening.

Today, we see new movements emerging to address racism in our society led by communities of color. In this new exciting era where people are standing up and calling for an end to racism and discrimination in all areas of society, the role for white allies is again changing.

"In this amazing moment, there is a clear and critical role for white people who want to be involved: challenge racism in our own actions and thoughts, and bring other white people in to do this work together- to join this broad and deep movement." The Movement for Black Lives

There is a difference between the two movements. Messages like Stokely Carmichael’s ended up excluding and alienating potential allies who might have contributed to the change it was seeking. This may have been necessary for the then newly emerging black leadership to establish and prove itself.

However, the Black Lives Matter movement of today is saying something different. It is not excluding allies, but calling on them to step back and acknowledge that the leadership in this struggle has to come from those most impacted. There is a clear role for white allies. Firstly, to recognize our own racism and the part that white privilege plays in our lives and those of the black community. Not for us to be weighed down by guilt, but in order for us to find ways to use our white privilege to be allies for change.

“In this amazing moment there is a clear and critical role for white people who want to be involved: challenge racism in our own actions and thoughts, and bring other white people in to do this work together- to join this broad and deep movement.” The Movement for Black Lives

Scilla and Paul were part of the civil rights movement in the 60's in Atlanta. Responding to the call for whites to work in their own communities Paul took a job with the Anti Defamation League.

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