Although we like to think that the civil rights era
was a time in which white people united with black folk in order to eradicate
the evils of segregation, there were tension between white volunteers who
wanted to involve themselves with the movement and oppressed black people. One
element that stood out in Aram Goudsouzian’s Down to the Crossroads was how black and white people worked
together during the Civil Rights Movement. Goudsouzian discussed how, “Poussaint
kept hearing about black bitterness toward white civil rights workers” when
examining black activists (Goudsouzian 93). This tension was present because some
white volunteers infiltrated the movement for recognition or gain a sense of
pride in their paternalistic actions for helping the “less fortunate”.
Goudsouzian explained how black folk “complained that whites assumed leadership
positions, had paternalistic attitudes, and returned to cushy homes after their
civil rights vacations” (Goudsouzian 94). Goudsouzian’s use of the word
vacation stands out to me because it seems to ring with truth. It is difficult
for white volunteers to fully understand the black plight. For black people to
see a white person stand on a platform advocating for black rights, just to
return to privileged lives, was a slap in the face as they remained the target
of oppression.
Another
incident that Goudsouzian discussed is Eugene Nickerson who used the Civil
Rights Movement to demonstrate his liberal credentials. After arriving late to
a march Como, Nickerson simply posed “for pictures and [drove] back to Memphis
for his flight home” (Goudsouzian 95). Some white volunteers used the Civil
Rights Movement to promote themselves, posing as saviors to the black
community. In this case some white volunteers tried to be part of the movement
without being “part” of the movement. This is not to say that all white
volunteers tried to assume savior positions during the movement. However, we
can apply Goudsouzian’s research to today as well. When considering Black Lives
Matter, some black and white people have used it as a way to keep up with the
current trend. People prance around in the Black Lives Matter apparel without
knowing what the movement is really about, and this dilutes the movement.
Professor McKinney discussed in an earlier lecture how one must read and have credible
knowledge about the subject or movement to partake in the discussion. Aligning
oneself with a movement is more than following a trend or self-promotion, it is
about having a true connection with the cause and personal involvement to allow
that cause to grow.
I agree and definitely see how white people participating in the Civil Rights Movement could be to satisfy their political agendas and look good in the public eye or to play as a savior figure. Although some whites' intentions are honest in helping the fight for equality of black lives during the Civil Rights Movement, they return to their privileged, unchallenged life after the demonstrations. They live in a reality where their participation in these protests in many cases does not lead to their life being threatened. Furthermore, white people participating in these movements must remain in the background and not become the leaders or try to become leaders as in many cases this will only harm the goal of the movement.
ReplyDeleteI agree in that in order to participate in a movement then one must know about that movement in totality. To support a movement and not understand what it is really about only leads to that movement gaining less power. Personal involvement and connection, as mentioned, become key.
You make some really great points here, especially drawing the connection between the past and the present day. This makes me think of the damaging effect of the "white savior narrative" in media popular culture. I'm sure we can all rattle off a litany of "white savior" movies, including the Blind Side, Avatar, the Help, etc. Recently, for my English class, we watched the movie "Children of Men." In the film, the world has fallen to pieces, women are mysteriously infertile, and Britain is the only nation that can claim to still be standing. All foreigners have been deemed "illegals," ringing frighteningly familiar and drawing to mind Nazism and the Holocaust. The main character, a white male, comes into contact with a miraculously pregnant black immigrant...long story short, she relies heavily on him to grant her safety, deliver her baby, survive, etc.
ReplyDelete(White) students in the class today pointed out that the nature of the world in the film necessitated and justified this choice. I disagreed; this seems to operate on the assumption that all Brits are white. A "born-and-bred" Brit of color could have just as easily played this role and saved this film from its predictable and harmful narrative.
My point is: the white savior story is dangerously romanticized dangerously, and I think it contributes to the continuation of it playing out today in real-life scenarios, as you cited in this post.
I like how you grappled with Goudsouzian's phrasing of "vacation". I think you are right about how it is like a slap in the face, due to the reality that most of the allies were returning to privileged lives. I also think this is something that we still face today especially on our campus, we as african americans are so generationally scared by injustice that we still feel uneasy about trusting those that want to stand as allies or in solidarity. It is definitely a growing process, but most importantly one that must be willingly made.
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