For reconciliation around the division of race in America, we need a new era of truth and justice that starts with telling the truth about our history of racial injustice. This conversation is a step in the work needed to deepen and broaden the national conversation about enslavement in America and its legacy of mass incarceration today1.
We can help change the narrative of racial difference by exploring our public education resources and sharing them with others. Learning the truth about our history and its legacy is the first step to engaging in meaningful conversation about solutions1.
Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI.Org) as a non-profit organization,to provide legal representation to prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes, poor prisoners without effective representation, and others who may have been denied a fair trial. It guarantees the defense of anyone in Alabama in a death penalty case.
EJI recently opened the Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Understanding. It is a great place to enhance our understanding of the connections between the slave trade, racial terrorism, Jim Crow, and Mass Incarceration. Let’s start with a short ( 4 minute)introduction by video with Bryan Stevenson: Click for a Tour of “The Lynching Museum”
As part of its effort to educate, the EJI produced a comprehensive report on Lynching in America. This is an easy read (considered it a required read) that connects the dots on a walk through the history of race in America. You can download the PDF here (read the PDF) or on the web here (Web Version)
Hearing the stories of the people whose lives have been taken or destroyed as a result of racism is a critical step in reconciliation. The interactive map (Learn about individuals who were lynched by clicking on the white dots on the map) is one way to hear their stories. Another is to know the story of Zachariah Walker, who was lynched in Coatesville, PA. You can read that story here The Lynching of Zachariah Walker. TRIGGER WARNING- Unimaginable violence
In Sojourner’s Magazine, Courtney Ariel proposes some steps for white friends who desire to be allies. The first two steps are 1)Listen and 2)Learn. It is our hope that this virtual Pub meeting is a step in that direction.
*********************************
1. These introductory paragraphs are extracted/adapted from the EJI website. The EJI proposes some action steps that allies can take. It is our hope that you fully explore the web site and consider joining a group that will commit to action.
My Thoughts and the Thoughts of Others 