On October 25th, Clint Smith came to Belmont High School to deliver a talk on racism in America. The talk revolved around the history of oppression against African-Americans, and the prevalence of privilege in modern society. Smith’s talk was intertwined with slam poems, humor, and anecdotes that connected effectively with the audience of juniors and seniors.
Smith began the talk by speaking about his experiences growing up in New Orleans and his relationship with his father. He mentioned the privilege he felt as a kid with the resources of his parents and safe access to education. Despite this, he discussed the fact that black children are often depicted as a “caricature of fear” in the media, and described how they have to grow up faster than other children. The pattern of shootings of black children in the US reveals the implicit bias in society that makes people see these children not as innocents but as potential threats. The audio attached below is Smith performing a poem on these issues.
Throughout the talk, Smith delved into more nuanced accounts of the history of African-Americans in the US. He broke the wall that Americans often use to separate themselves from the country’s racist, slave-owning past, and enforced each person’s responsibility to acknowledge the cruelty and dehumanization held in America’s history.
One of the most powerful facts Smith stated was that in 1864, “slaves were worth more than banks, factories, and railroads combined.” The amount of money and effort that the government put into maintaining the institution of slavery is undeniable, and Smith pointed out the importance of details like these in revealing more about the perceptions of African-Americans in the past and their effects on the present.
Another important issue Smith discussed was privilege. He defines this as “birth of circumstance”: no one can decide into what circumstances they will be born. He exemplified the consequences of privilege by describing the life of an undocumented immigrant named Maria. He had taught Maria and she was at the top of her high school class, but she wasn’t accepted by any colleges because she did not have a social security number. This number came to define what she could become in life, as she was forced to go to community college and work at a fast food restaurant. Though having to work in these circumstances should not be seen as inferior or shameful, Maria had the skill set and persistence to pursue bigger things but could not because of the limitations of society. The concept of privilege is at work here because her lack of opportunities prevented her from going to a good college and pursuing her dreams.
Clint Smith’s discussion on racism provided an opportunity for Belmont High students to deal with racism through an accurate lens of history and confrontation, rather than being “colorblind” and oblivious to the differences and privileges that ultimately define the diverse framework of American society.
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