Examining and Criticizing My Whiteness Through “Seeing White”

Warning: While I highly recommend that others listen to “Seeing White,” I would like to provide a quick warning that the podcast contains content that may trigger some listeners, such as depictions of hate crimes, upsetting historical events, and audio clips containing racist or culturally insensitive language.

“SEEING WHITE” is the second season of Scene On Radio’s podcast, focusing on identifying the beginnings of racism as a construct of our society, and its lasting and continuous impact on the world today.

Presenting a clear and meticulously detailed history of the concept of race and “whiteness” in our world and especially the United States, “Seeing White” simultaneously challenges the listener to question and reexamine their preconceptions of race, including the false idea that race is a biologically supported concept.

John Biewen is joined by recurring guest Chenjerai Kumanyika, who together take listeners on a auditory journey through the history of race, from its conception during the Portuguese slave trades of the mid-second millennium, all the way to the map of the human genome presented by then-president Bill Clinton in 2000, finally proving beyond all refute that humans are biologically more than 99.9% similar. The fact remains however that despite scientific evidence that disproves the argument that race is a biological difference between people, racism persists in our society, a cultural poison that has been a continuous and abounding force in our nation.

While also focusing on larger events in the history of racism, “Seeing White” examines events such as the Corbin, Kentucky race riot of 1919, or the Dakota war of 1862, where after years of unfair treatment by Minnesotan settlers, including the settlers refusal to deliver food crucial to the survival of the Sioux people promised under treaty, Minnesota went to war against the Sioux people. The end of the war saw the largest public execution in U.S. history, overseen by president Lincoln. Unfortunately, knowledge of these events have been mostly contained to the areas where they took place. It is in instances like these, when people attempt to willfully forget the history that has taken place (likely in an attempt to absolve themselves of guilt) that a problem arises. Although these events certainly paint a poor picture of places like Corbin, Kentucky, failure to acknowledge and teach about these events also prevents us from moving on from them. How can we, as a nation, move forward from these events and mend relationships between those involved if we are reluctant to even acknowledge their taking place? This question made its way to the forefront of my mind several times as I listened to the podcast.

As I listened, I also thought a lot about what I can do in my community to be anti-racist, and how I can encourage others to do the same. While I would love to say I came up with an earth-shifting, ground-breaking way to halt the spread of racist ideas in its tracks, that is simply not the case. I did realize, however, what I can do. In the past, I have consistently waited too long to speak out about the things I care about, and I hope that now that I have found my voice, I can use it to encourage others to do the same. If there is something you are passionate about, speak out about it. Although racist ideas continue to circulate in our society, people are more willing than ever to listen to the ideas of others. So let your voice be heard, and speak your truth. Never be afraid to call out injustice when you see it in the world. Your potential to do good is limited only by your drive to make the world a better place.