Overcoming racism

Last Saturday, the third “Overcoming Racism” Conference was held at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. The annual event is a major effort of the Facilitating Racial Equity Collaborative, a loose collective of organizations and individuals dedicated to eliminating racism in Minnesota.

The first day’s keynote speaker was Dr. Joe Feagin (FAY- gin), a professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University and the author of several books about discrimination in American society.

Dr. Feagin began his talk by making the assertion that historically, white Americans have played the central role in creating and maintaining racial oppression through the violent theft of Native American lands and the enslavement of African Americans. He called racial oppression a “foundational reality”, one that most whites ignore or downplay today.

Dr. Joe Feagin (FAY- gin), a professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University and the author of several books about discrimination in American society. He was one of the keynote speakers at this year’s “Overcoming Racism” Conference, organized by the Facilitating Racial Equality Collaborative.
Our recording was made by KFAI’s Edwin Allen.