Can the Race-ism Dilemma Be Resolved?

Female actresses in The Notebook playing same character at different stages of life

While watching CBS Sunday Morning, a long-time ritual practice of Jewel and mine, a story about a Broadway adaptation of the best-selling novel and film The Notebook caught my attention. Not so much because it’s a heart-warming tearjerker, which each version of the story is, but because the choice of the makers of the show to cast the lovers, Allie and Noah, in various stages of their relationship, with fluid changes in “race.”

The Times critic reviewed the play unfavorably yet noted that this choice brings a nice touch of universality to the production.

I agree. In this story, love transcends differences in social class, and race is immaterial in the dynamics of their relationship as depicted in the play.

When we look at the actual history of race in the United States, racial categorization has always been fluid, especially the category of “whiteness.” The original white folks were White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, but over time other ethnic groups were accepted into that status and category. For instance, Irish, Italian, and immigrants from Eastern Europe. A century ago, the “one-drop rule” said that if you had any Negro “blood,” you were considered black, so about 15% of those light-skinned enough to be considered white, though they had at least one Negro American parent or grandparent, opted to “pass” for white.

Is there a way to fight against racism without reinforcing the fallacy of racial categorization?

My colleagues, Drs. Sheena Mason and Carlos Hoyt and I believe the answer is yes. That’s why we’re inviting you to register for our upcoming virtual conference: “Resolving the Race/ism Dilemma.”

Please join us for this interactive virtual event on Friday, April 5th from 7-8:30 PM EST and Saturday, April 6th from 9 AM-3 PM EST. The event promises to be a significant milestone in our shared journey toward understanding and dismantling the belief in “race” and the reality of racism.

In a world still wrestling with the enduring impacts of the idea of race and the enactment of racism, this conference serves as a crucial platform to unravel the complex layers that constitute “race” and racism. As with the first iteration of this conference in 2022, it’s an exceptional opportunity to engage with leading voices advocating for a critical examination of race/ism through the transformative lenses of racelessness, antiracialization, deracialization, and Omni-American cultural unity.

The “Resolving the Race/ism Dilemma” conference will feature in-depth discussions challenging the traditional notions of “race” as an immutable aspect of human identity. We will explore how social constructions of racism (i.e., race/ism) and historical contingencies have shaped our perceptions of so-called racial differences, fueling and upholding inequalities. Our collective exploration will not only question how so-called racial identities are imposed but also celebrate the fluidity and richness of cultural, ethnic, individual, and collective diversity beyond so-called racial categorizations.

By fostering transformative dialogues, we aim to envision and contribute to the creation of a society that ends race/ism, celebrating the shared humanity of all its members. This event is not merely a conference; it is a commitment to a more inclusive, just, and understanding world.

As readers of this blog, we think your participation is essential in this vital conversation. Your commitment to exploring the complexities of “race,” racism, and the potential to eliminate a racial worldview is commendable and crucial to our collective progress.

For more details and to register, please visit https://www.eventcreate.com/e/resolving-the-raceism-dilemma.

Sheena, Carlos, and I look forward to your participation in this transformative event.

NOTE: Regrettfully, this event has been postponed.