Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race

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Basic Books, Sep 5, 2017 - Social Science - 464 pages
The classic, New York Times-bestselling book on the psychology of racism that shows us how to talk about race in America.

Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? How can we get past our reluctance to discuss racial issues?

Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about communicating across racial and ethnic divides and pursuing antiracism. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand dynamics of race and racial inequality in America.
 

Contents

Prologue Why Are All the Black Kids Still Sitting Together in
Introduction A Psychologists Perspective
Defining Racism
The Complexity of Identity
The Early Years
Identity Development in Adolescence
Racial Identity in Adulthood
The Development of White Identity
White Identity Affirmative Action and ColorBlind Racial
Critical Issues in Latinx Native Asian and Pacific Islander
Identity Development in Multiracial Families
Embracing a CrossRacial Dialogue
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Notes

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About the author (2017)

Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD, is president emerita of Spelman College and in 2014 received the Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology, the highest honor presented by the American Psychological Association. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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