I had the great pleasure of meeting Emory University Philosophy Professor George Yancey, outside of an Italian Ice (Icy in NYC) within walking distance of my home last summer while casually eating a lemon ice. He had on an Emory hat, the place where I earned my JD, so I initiated a conversation which lasted far too long I am sure for his wife and children. I subsequently read three of his works on philosophy. His experience is simply the Black experience in America which has been experienced by my family since the first generation born after the passing of the 13th Amendment. Everyone should read this article.
"...Some of my students of color have asked me, "Why talk about race with white people when at the end of the day everything remains the same — that is, their racism continues?" "Why teach courses on race and whiteness?" "Do you really think that such courses will make a difference?" I find these questions haunting; they nag at my conscience.
Indeed, there are times when I ask myself, "Why do I do this?" After all, I don’t write about whiteness because it is a new fad in philosophy. And I’m certainly not a masochist. There is no pleasure to be had in being the object of hatred. I’m sure that a few of my black colleagues and colleagues of color think that I’ve lost my sanity. Perhaps they think that I’ve asked for all of this and that had I remained silent I would have been fine. The reality, of course, is that they too are seen as niggers. Silence will not help..."
This is is a link to Professor Yancy's many books on Amazon.com
The Ugly Truth of Being a Black Professor in America - The Chronicle of Higher Education
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