Mediaboss Marketing

Most of us know, from firsthand experience, that our schools are not teaching very much history about racism in the U.S. Most of us, people of color and whites, grow up not learning about resistance to slavery before and after the Civil War.

African-American students do not hear about all the people of color who fought slavery and racism through the centuries. Similarly, white people do not hear about the many white people who fought slavery and racism, again through the centuries.

During the U.S. time of slavery, we had presidents who owned slaves. George Washington, our first president, owned slaves. John Adams, our second president, chose not to own slaves. Both are Founding Fathers, and most of us, whether brown/black/white, were only taught about Washingtons slaves, not about Adams rejecting slavery.

Story continues below video

Let that sink in, of our first two presidents, only one owned slaves. In fact, two out of 12 of our first presidents chose not to own slaves.

A lot of white people are not racist. And right now, a lot of white people really want to fight racism and yet do not quite seem to know where to begin.

Perhaps words from author Tim Wise about historical white resistance will help. But if we understood that there is a movement in history of which we might be a part, as allies to people of color, how much easier might it be to begin and sustain that process of resistance? ("White Like Me," page 245).

If you are an ally fighting racism, you stand tall in a long tradition. Thank you for that.

Originally posted here:
Letter: History can help fight racism | Opinion | goskagit.com - goskagit.com