Compiled and offered by Elder Susan Sprague

LEARNING RESOURCES:

Merriam Webster defines white supremacy as: (1) the belief that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races, and (2) the social, economic, and political systems that collectively enable white people to maintain power over people of other races.

As a ‘Baby Boomer’ growing up in a predominately white, working-class neighborhood in the Northwest, I had little knowledge or understanding of the concept or implications of white supremacy. Fast forward 60+ years later, I still have a lot to learn. Understanding the complexity and the history of white supremacy is necessary as we continue to work toward racial equity, reparations, apology, and as we contemplate the Northern Light Overture and its impact on our indigenous families.

Here are some resources I found helpful to better understand the history and implications of white supremacy.

 What is White Supremacy, [3-minute video] Ritu Bhasin, a diversity motivational speaker, gives her perspective of the meaning of white supremacy and the root issues surrounding it.

 The History of White Supremacy [10 minute read with additional links] An article from Thoughtco.com by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

“The system of white supremacy was brought to the Americas by European colonists and took firm root in early U.S. society through the genocide, enslavement, and internal colonization of indigenous populations, and the enslavement of Africans and their descendants.”

Review the Rationale section of the Northern Lights Overture for more clarity on how social, economic, and political systems in the white supremacy definition were in place and impacted the Memorial Presbyterian Church.