Racism Quotes by Beverly Daniel Tatum

“While I think it is necessary to be honest about the racism of our past and present, it is also necessary to empower children…

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

White people who are doing this work need to make their stories known to serve as guides for others.

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

“If young people are exposed to images of African American academic achievement in their early years, they won’t have to define school achievement as…

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

“Children who have been silenced often enough learn not to talk about race publicly. Their questions don’t go away, they just go unasked.”

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

To say that it is not our fault does not relieve us of responsibility. However, we may not have polluted the air, but we…

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

“Unfortunately for Black teenagers, those cultural stereotypes do not usually include academic achievement.”

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

In order to prevent chronic discomfort, Whites may learn not to notice.

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

“For many people of color, learning to break the silence is a survival issue. To remain silent would be to disconnect from her own…

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

To work effectively as an agent of change in a pluralistic society, it is necessary to be able to connect with people different from…

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

The task of resisting our own oppression does not relieve us of the responsibility of acknowledging our complicity in the oppression of others.

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

“Resisting the stereotypes and affirming other definitions of themselves is part of the task facing young Black women in both White and Black communities.”

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

It is important to understand that the system of advantage is perpetuated when we do not acknowledge its existence.

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

Many white people experience themselves as powerless, even in the face of privilege. But the fact is that we all have a sphere of…

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

“Learning to spot “that stuff ”—whether it is racist, or sexist, or classist—is an important skill for children to develop.”

— Beverly Daniel Tatum

The social pressure from friend and acquaintance to collude, to not notice racism, can be quite powerful.

— Beverly Daniel Tatum