Introduction Race and racism are uncomfortable topics, but ones that must be openly and honestly discussed in order to begin the process of change. This paper will review my background, analyze readings, and openly discuss how the readings relate to me. The readings will be Peggy McIntosh’s “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” Beverly Daniel Tatum’s “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”, Christopher Edmin’s “For White Folks who Teach in the Hood,” and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva’s “Racism without Racists.” Through these readings, I will define race, racism, white privilege, then I will reflect on how I identify with them and they affect education. Background My mother’s side of my family immigrated to the United States from England. …show more content…
My grandmother lived Downtown where she attended Courtenay Elementary School and Charleston High, but she did not attend college due to the birth of her first child, my aunt, at age eighteen. My paternal grandfather’s side of the family came to America in 1917, through Ellis Island, from Greece. While in Charleston, my great grandfather worked two jobs, at a restaurant on Columbus Street and at the Banana Dock. He earned enough money to eventually purchase the restaurant. From there, he went on to own a liquor store, a grocery store, and several houses in the high-class area of Charleston, SC. They had three children, including my grandfather, who all served in World War II and were all expected to finish basic education. However, my grandfather was the only one who went to college. During his Senior year at Clemson, his class was taken to Germany to fight in World War II. My grandmother gave birth to their first child while my grandfather was in Germany. He briefly returned from Germany long enough to meet his baby daughter and conceive my father, before being deployed to the Philippines again before his final return