HISTORY + CULTURE
Why Some White People Struggle to Learn Basic Black History
This is a matter of willingness, not competence
Learning something is always easier when you’re passionate about the topic. Think of the difference between drinking flavored cough syrup when you feel under the weather and drinking bitter castor oil. Our willingness to invest our attention and take our medicine often makes the difference between someone becoming an expert or a novice. It’s the sweetness that makes one easier to swallow. So, when we consider why some White people struggle to learn basic black history facts, it’s only natural we question their resolve. Low black historical aptitude may be a symptom of unwillingness rather than capacity.
For example, most Black Americans know that the federal government made a short-lived promise of 40 acres and a mule as restorative justice for chattel slavery — this is common knowledge. However, the publication of a new investigative report, 40 Acres and a Lie, in Mother Jones, suggests many people were previously unaware of this historical event. And they couldn’t possibly be speaking about Black people’s unawareness. A Pew Research Center survey revealed that the majority of Black adults believe the legacy of slavery continues to affect the position of Black people in American…
