White Voices in Black History Month

January 28, 2021 7:00 AM

If you attended an event to celebrate Black History Month and heard a white person performing something created by a black person, what would be your reaction?

I've been invited to participate in a spoken word event to celebrate Black History Month and I have an artist in mind, but don't feel comfortable reading his work as a white person. I need the hive mind to help me understand current attitudes around this scenario. A black person shared that they think it's fine, even helpful, for a white person to speak up. But I am still hesitant.

posted by crunchy potato to Human Relations (15 answers total)

I just did an instinctive "oh no no no". Even if there's a good reason for precisely you to read precisely this text - it's not going to look good to have to explain the circumstances why it's okay in your case but not in others.

And aside from your individual case, it's going to encourage other white people to do the same and think it's less a big deal than it is.
posted by Omnomnom at 8:08 AM on January 28, 2021 [8 favorites]

I don't understand this to be honest. Black authors and poets are putting out their work to be shared and enjoyed by everyone. If white people are reluctant to share the work of black authors and poets, all that serves is for them to be marginalized. If you were to introduce the author, explain why you felt inspired to share their work, and make it clear that they are Black, I really don't see the problem (note: I am not Black, though I am a person of color).
posted by peacheater at 8:32 AM on January 28, 2021 [4 favorites]

I think it depends quite a bit on the circumstances. What's the piece? How many other people are performing? Who is organizing and who is the expected audience? Why were you invited?

It may be an opportunity to model respectful behavior by a white person, if you feel like you can navigate the dynamics with clear eyes and contribute to the event in a way that supports black leadership. But it's hard to say without more context.

(I am white, with some formal training/education in facilitating diversity and inclusion work.)
posted by desuetude at 8:35 AM on January 28, 2021 [5 favorites]

Can you create and perform an original piece?
posted by Chrysopoeia at 8:35 AM on January 28, 2021

Why can the artist not perform their piece?
posted by humbug at 8:41 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Context: Work event organized by an anti-racism committee that I am on, which is comprised of white and POC participants. Saul Williams is my artist of choice because he really inspired my style when I was working on my MFA and he addresses important issues in his work. The workplace had regular spoken word events before COVID but I'm not sure of the audience demographics as I've never had a chance to attend.

I'm leaning toward not doing it. Even if my heart is in the right place in wanting to help celebrate Black artists, my PTSD gets triggered whenever I'm called out and it feels like asking for misunderstanding to do this.
posted by crunchy potato at 8:43 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]

eeeeeargh. I would politely decline and request that they find a Black artist to fill your place; this seems to me to be the best way to uphold voices and ensure that Black artists get visibility during an event that is specifically to uphold Black voices. There are times and places where a white artist reading the words of a Black artist would be a really positive thing, but I am feeling that a Black History Month celebration is not among them, when Black artistry (in both the writing and the performing!) should be centered.

(I am a white with a decent amount of anti-racism education, but no special training, so take this advice with those grains of salt. If it were me, I would politely decline.)
posted by kalimac at 9:02 AM on January 28, 2021 [8 favorites]

I had an internal cringe. I think there's a difference between white people sharing and promoting the creative work of Black people, and performing it.

I don't like the idea of a white person reading the work of a Black poet at a Black History Month presentation, most especially if the work is in the first person and the topic is the author's Blackness or Black experience. But if you are looking to contribute in another way, and looking to incorporate your MFA work, you might want to ask if there will be any follow-up on the presentation in terms of work groups or exploration groups, and offer to lead participants into a deeper dive of Saul Williams' work.
posted by juniperesque at 9:27 AM on January 28, 2021 [9 favorites]

If the black person who told you it was all right is actually on the anti racism committee that invited you to read a poem, you might be overthinking it a little. If it's making you miserable, though, it's fine to decline.
posted by kingdead at 10:07 AM on January 28, 2021 [4 favorites]

Similar to juniperesque, I feel a bit of cringe thinking about the idea of a white person performing Black spoken word. The only way I could possibly imagine this working is if you were a spoken word artist yourself, who would be able to nail the delivery. And even that would heavily hinge on the content of the poem.

So, especially given your anxiety, I'd politely decline, but try to find some other way to offer to add something to the event. Could you say, make a slide show of Black art to be projected as other people are performing? Design invitations or the program?
posted by coffeecat at 10:52 AM on January 28, 2021

They should hire (and pay) a Black artist to perform the work of a Black artist. Period.
And if you feel they'll find this hard to achieve, you could even offer to help find a shortlist.
I'm Black. Thanks for being sensitive to this.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 11:40 AM on January 28, 2021 [10 favorites]

I think your instincts on this are correct, except I wouldn't say this is a perception issue; I'd say it's a substance issue. There are a bunch of benefits to performing publicly: people learn who you are, you may get professional opportunities including other speaking events, you may make new friends, get praised, get paid, get experience public speaking. Whatever those benefits may be in this instance, they should accrue to a Black person, not to you. So if I were in your shoes, I would give up my place to a Black person, even if that meant finding / seeking them out myself.
posted by Susan PG at 11:43 AM on January 28, 2021 [4 favorites]

If I, a white person who is interested in racial justice, attended this event, I would find it very hard not to spend all my time wondering why a white person was on stage reading the work of a Black person unless there was a very specific reason for it (like, they were a relative of that person?). I don't see why white folks would be on stage at all given what you have described.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:29 PM on January 28, 2021

FWIW, I am black and this wouldn’t offend me. Why don’t you trust your black friend’s opinion that this is ok?

Can you ask any of the black members of the group what they think? Can you reach out to the organizer? Maybe they have some idea of how this would be received.

Again, I’m just one person, but there is a middle ground between “taking over black spaces” and “black people have to do all the talking.” I respect this is a tricky balance but my opinion is that you are overthinking this.
posted by girlmightlive at 12:54 PM on January 28, 2021 [4 favorites]

As a fellow white person, I would immediately ask, "Are all of the black people already busy elsewhere today, or is there something special about this person?"

If it was explained why you were up there, then the context could satisfy my questions.

But in the audience, I would start out skeptical.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:30 PM on January 28, 2021 [2 favorites]