White Fragility, White Supremacy & Implicit Bias

This is by no means an exhaustive or definitive list of resources. Rather, it is meant to simply act as a “jumping-off point” for those interested in learning more about anti-racist work and supporting the Black, Indigenous, and people of color in our community.

Books & Articles:

Note: Note: To best support the authors and as a part of the fight against systemic racism, please consider purchasing these books directly from the author, the publisher, or from the list of Black independently owned bookstores with online stores listed here whenever possible.

White Fragility: Why it’s so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
“White people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress. This insulated environment of racial protection builds white expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering the ability to tolerate racial stress.  Although white racial insulation is somewhat mediated by social class (with poor and working-class urban whites being generally less racially insulated than suburban or rural whites), the larger social environment insulates and protects whites as a group through institutions, cultural representations, media, school textbooks, movies, advertising, and dominant discourses. Racial stress results from an interruption to what is racially familiar. In turn, whites are often at a loss for how to respond in constructive ways., as we have not had to build the cognitive or affective skills or develop the stamina that that would allow for constructive engagement across racial divides. leading to what I refer to as White Fragility. White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium. This book explicates the dynamics of White Fragility and how we might build our capacity in the on-going work towards racial justice.”

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
“Me and White Supremacy: A 28-Day Challenge to Combat Racism, Change the World and Become a Good Ancestor leads readers through a journey of understanding their white privilege and participation in white supremacy so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on black, indigenous and people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too. The book goes beyond the original workbook by adding more historical and cultural contexts, sharing moving stories and anecdotes, and includes expanded definitions, examples, and further resources.”

White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise
“In this completely revised, “Remix” version of his highly-acclaimed memoir, White Like Me, Tim Wise explores how racial identity and whiteness influence the lives of white Americans, by examining how they have impacted his own life. Wise examines what it means to be white in a nation created for the benefit of those who are “white like him,” and how privilege seeps into every institutional arrangement, from education to employment to the justice system. Importantly, he also discusses the ways that white privilege can ultimately harm its recipients in the long run and make progressive social change less likely. Through personal storytelling and convincing analysis, Wise makes the case that racial inequity and white privilege are real and persistent threats to personal and collective well-being, but that resistance to white supremacy and racism is possible.”

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
Identifying the many layers of white privilege in a short PDF.

Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Anthony Greenwald & Mahzarin Banaji
“In Blindspot, Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald explore hidden biases that we all carry from a lifetime of experiences with social groups – age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, or nationality. “Blindspot” is a metaphor to capture that portion of the mind that houses hidden biases. The authors use it to ask about the extent to which social groups – without our awareness or conscious control – shape our likes and dislikes, our judgments about people’s character, abilities, and potential.

In Blindspot, hidden biases are revealed through hands-on experience with the method that has revolutionized the way scientists are learning about the human mind, and that gives us a glimpse into what lies within the metaphoric blindspot – the Implicit Association Test. The title’s “good people” are the many people – the authors included – who strive to align their behavior with their good intentions. The aim of Blindspot is to explain the science in plain enough language to allow well-intentioned people to better achieve that alignment. Venturing into this book is an invitation to understand our own minds.”

How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
“Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America–but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. Instead of working with the policies and system we have in place, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it.

Additional list of resources for anti-racism work led by Black authors and teachers.

Videos & Podcasts:

How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion by Peggy McIntosh (TEDxTimberlane Schools)
Seeing White by Scene On Radio
Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Racism, New York Times video
Understanding My Privilege by Sue Borrego (TEDxPasadena Women)
White fragility lecture by Robin DiAngelo
Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo
Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism, MPR News with Kerri Miller and Robin DiAngelo

Toolkits and Tests:

White Fragility Self-Test by New England Yearly Meeting of Friends Quakers
White Privilege Checklist by Peggy McInstosh
Harvard Implicit Bias Test from Project Implicit
Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources “This is a working document for scaffolding anti-racism resources. The goal is to facilitate growth for white folks to become allies, and eventually accomplices for anti-racist work. These resources have been ordered in an attempt to make them more accessible. We will continue to add resources.”
Dismantling Racism Works Web Workbook – a site full of information, resources and explorations relating to racism and white supremacy.
Understanding and Confronting Racial Injustice from University of Minnesota Extension