"Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity by Beverly Daniel Tatum

Feb 14, 2010 Jarrod Jenkins rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Completely awful. Tatum's book is thinly disguised racist propaganda devoid of actual statistics or legitimate quantification of the state of race relations in modern America. Worse than that, it does great harm to the ongoing struggle of race relations by crying wolf, mucking up the lines of communication, and creating resentment where none would otherwise exist.

Because she won't or can't point to empirical evidence of racism such as earnings per unit of time worked when adjusted for education,...more

like 15 likes · see review

Aug 30, 2007 Melanie Russo rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a caucasion mother of an adopted african american son...this book was a MUST READ. It teaches us how to have effective and constructive conversations about race. Recent generations of caucasions have taught their young children to avoid using race to describe other people. Unfortunately, all this does is create a society frightened to discuss race. Without effective communication on this topic, we will never achieve true peace and equality among different races and cultures.

like 9 likes · see review

Nov 26, 2012 Oceana Fern {Assorted Insanity} marked it as non-merci

People try too hard to find something racist about everything.

Bro, if you're saying the Lion King is racist because the good characters are a lighter shade of brown, you need to relax and go to a therapist.

And I was taught not to beat around the bush. People have a problem with identifying persons by race or color, but honestly I find nothing wrong with it. So you're black? You're Jewish? You're Latino?

Well, I'm a white girl. I'm a white girl. I AM A WHITE GIRL. That's the truth, isn't it? I'm...more

like 5 likes · see review

Jul 02, 2011 Rae Hittinger rated it 4 of 5 stars

I Really like this book. It was recommended to me at a District meeting about unpacking racism in the classroom. I find this book to be compelling, thought provoking, and an enjoyable read. With short chapters it is an excellent bedside reader. The author uses research as well as anecdotal evidence to discuss the process of racial identity development from childhood to adulthood among us folks in the US of A. She has a specific focus on the Black and White issue, but Tatum also embraces a broad...more

like 2 likes · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Sps rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 300s

A useful read.

When advantaged people claim that since they aren't actively persecuting anyone, they aren't actually on the top of the hierarchy, I want to share Tatum's clear explanations and examples. E.g. "If a person of color is a victim of housing discrimination, the apartment that would otherwise have been rented to that person of color is still available for a White person. The White tenant is, knowingly or unknowingly, the beneficiary of racism, a system of advantage based on race. The u...more A useful read.

When advantaged people claim that since they aren't actively persecuting anyone, they aren't actually on the top of the hierarchy, I want to share Tatum's clear explanations and examples. E.g. "If a person of color is a victim of housing discrimination, the apartment that would otherwise have been rented to that person of color is still available for a White person. The White tenant is, knowingly or unknowingly, the beneficiary of racism, a system of advantage based on race. The unsuspecting tenant is not to blame for the prior discrimination, but she benefits from it anyway." (9)

"The view of oneself as an individual is very compatible with the dominant ideology of rugged individualism and the American myth of meritocracy. Understanding racism as a system of advantage that structurally benefits Whites and disadvantages people of color on the basis of group membership threatens not only beliefs about society but also beliefs about one's own life accomplishments." (103) Don't we all know somebody like this? Who can accept that blatant racism is wrong, but does not believe that a culture that systematically pushes some groups down could have had anything to do with his or her own personal ascent?

Since Tatum is a psychologist by training, the book is especially strong on the psychological reality of living with U.S. racism. She talks about stages of racial identity development that, especially among Black youth, sometimes lead to an oppositional, anti-education stance. "It is clear that an oppositional identity can interfere with academic achievement, and it may be tempting for educators to blame the adolescents themselves for their academic decline. However, the questions that educators and other concerned adults must ask are, How did academic achievement become defined as exclusively White behavior? What is it about the curriculum and the wider culture that reinforces the notion that academic excellence is an exclusively White domain?....an oppositional identity discouraging academic achievement is not inevitable even in a racist society." (64-65)

For Whites who begin to learn about racism, Tatum discusses how, because of the conflict with their self-image as a good, fair person, they often try to turn away from the responsibility of racial advantage. Some become frustrated and antagonistic in their retreat from shame. Some try "to escape Whiteness via people of color" (107) by having friends explain to them or vouch for them--which also places the burden of fighting racism back onto people of color. Wisely, Tatum suggests that "the resource which [a White person at that stage] needs most at this point are not people of color, but other Whites who are further along in the process and can help show him [or her] the way." (107)

(On a side note, I really like that she uses White and Black both in capital letters, because the norm of having lower-case 'white' while all other ethnic/racial identities are set apart with capitals reinforces Whiteness as normal, invisible, assumed.)

By the end of the book I wished there were a few more concrete ideas how-to ideas on getting started as an active antiracist at whatever point in your life. I mean the step beyond self-education, because she does have good resources for that. On the other hand, I don't think that's what Dr. Tatum set out to do, nor does her book promise it, so perhaps I should just say I want her to write a how-to book as well. (less)

like 5 likes · see review

Feb 25, 2008 Siri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Think you're not racist? THINK AGAIN. Hahaha sorry had to write that bc I felt like it was a catchy phrase to get you to read this review. ANYWAY... this gets 5 stars for content, not writing, but the content is sooooo valuable that it deserves a 5-star rating so everyone will read it. At times it might get a little pedantic, BUT if you can put your uber-white, privileged, upper-middle-class ego aside for the duration of this book, you will learn a LOT about WHY THE HECK all the black peole DO s...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 02, 2008 Saxon rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: you; the white american. and my dad..but that isnt going to happen

As an important and foundational addition to the conversation of race in America in the last 10 years, Tatum's "Why Are All the Black Kids..." is a balanced mix of research, theory, and personal experiences that is easy to read and extremely accessible.
Tatum not only attempts to answer the question of her book but also touches on race issues beyond the black/white paradigm. Overall, Tatum constantly emphasizes the need for constant dialogue amongst not only white Americans with minorities but am...more As an important and foundational addition to the conversation of race in America in the last 10 years, Tatum's "Why Are All the Black Kids..." is a balanced mix of research, theory, and personal experiences that is easy to read and extremely accessible.
Tatum not only attempts to answer the question of her book but also touches on race issues beyond the black/white paradigm. Overall, Tatum constantly emphasizes the need for constant dialogue amongst not only white Americans with minorities but amongst white Americans themselves on the subject of race.
In addition, Tatum spends a great deal of time dedicated to the development of individuals from birth all the way to college, giving detailed pointers on how to raise a "race-conscious" child. These sections almost work as a self-help book for parents and I would encourage any young/new parents to read Tatum's advice.
The only aspect of "Why are all the Black Kids..." that feels unbalanced in Tatum's assessment of racism is the issue of desegregation. The book is essentially an examination of the current state of racism and how it has come to develop and the outcomes that we must deal with today. In doing so Tatum often speaks of the need for a support and foundational group of like people for young teen minorities. These chapters almost seem as if Tatum is setting up an arguement that desegregation may be over emphasized in American schools. Unfortunately, she never really addresses or (perhaps recognizes)this issue fully. It is not until the post-script where it becomes apparent that Tatum does indeed support desegregation but thinks that within such an environment that it is important to allow and even establish communities where minorities can be surrounded by other minority individuals who possibly and probably share similar experiences. The post-script is probably the most passionate chapter of the book and I personally feel that the rest of the book could of been salted a bit with such personal reflections to better clarify some her thoughts and assessments.
Nevertheless, this book is highly recommended for people passionate about issues of race or just passively interested.
(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Phoenix rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well, a bit of a mixed bag. Assigned reading and certainly an evocative title. While certainly valid and well written, the author comes across too strong. She insists on a practical regime for anti racism, but the force of her convictions is somewhat of a turn off and a let down. Further the section devoted to persons of 'other colors,' c.f. Latino's, AmerIndians and Pacific Asians, is very interesting but weak on the ground with only a few case studies to support the work. The author is certain...more

like · see review

Jun 30, 2009 Kenghis Khan rated it 3 of 5 stars

All in all it was a worthy read. It articulated a lot of ideas I've been having about how white Americans just don't notice race. It also provided a plausible account about why black adolescents seek out the friendship of other blacks. Tatum also sought to provide concrete solutions.

But the book had some serious short-comings. For instance, Tatum's quantitative evidence for the persistence of racism is ambiguous. She sites a study that notes that black ethnicity or hispanic origin is the single...more All in all it was a worthy read. It articulated a lot of ideas I've been having about how white Americans just don't notice race. It also provided a plausible account about why black adolescents seek out the friendship of other blacks. Tatum also sought to provide concrete solutions.

But the book had some serious short-comings. For instance, Tatum's quantitative evidence for the persistence of racism is ambiguous. She sites a study that notes that black ethnicity or hispanic origin is the single greatest predictor of socio-economic well being. This is reasonable. Although we can agree that genetics is probably not part of the equation, Tatum pays mere lip service to other hypotheses such as cultural differences. Instead, she uses this to argue that it is evidence for systemic, institutionalized racism. I don't necessarily disagree with Tatum's conclusion, only that she fails to rule out other hypotheses. Another problematic case of discussing statistics is when Tatum gives a statistic that about 40 some percent of white college juniors say their social group involves members of other ethnicities. What is not said is to which ethnic groups these friends belong. Indeed, it is reasonable that in many college campuses in America (especially the elite schools on the East and West Coasts as well as the Midwest and New South), such cross-racial friendships that whites have are almost certainly Asians and perhaps Hispanics, but probably not blacks. And that is assuming the respondents are honest - as Tatum notes, whites frequently underestimate their own racism. A Honduran lab partner or Jewish student might qualify as a friend "from a different ethnic group". That she fails to analyze this statistic in greater depth, or quote a result of a rather vague study, at best suggests Tatum is, inspite of her efforts, naive about the extent of black-white segregation, and at worse is selectively using the empirical evidence. This makes her argument come across as highly selective.

Indeed, the author's selections of quotes by whites seem to belie her claim that whites, too, have a role in the anti-racist struggle. She seems to quote the most egregious, nonsensical diatrabe of white people short of interviewing a neo-Nazi.

Moreover, although she acknowledges that bigotry exists in communities of color, she persists in painting people of color in the role of victim, empowered or not. This blindness, if it can be called that, extends to her other passages. She entirely neglects the fact that whites in majority-minority communities tend to be among the most virulent racists. No doubt her analysis would have been more interesting (and believable) had she analyzed how white students behave in schools that are overwhelmingly black. That a proposed scholar of identity development fails to explore, much less even mention, this rather under-studied demographic (whites who grow up in predominantly non-white neighborhood) makes one wonder about if the author is interested in identity development per se or in the experience of blacks in America.

Tatum's black-white focus is increasingly obsolete. Tatum suggests as much when she has a chapter on "racism beyond black and white." But here again Tatum rather unconvincingly tries to force the experience of other ethnic groups to align with the experience of blacks. For instance, she repeatedly emphasizes how Native Americans and Hispanics, like blacks, been forced to deal with the American mainstream. There is a kernel of truth to this view, but this analysis fails completely when she ignores it when it comes to Asian Americans, most of whom came, and continue to come, to America by choice.

Another problem with Tatum's analysis of "other races" is her disingenous conflation of (mostly East Asians) with Pacific Islanders. From issues as diverse as child mortality to college degrees, the two groups have starkly different demographics. That Taylor persists in lumping them in "Asian Pacific Americans" betrays, inspite of her cursory discussion, a superficial understanding of this group of Americans.

Perhaps no where else is Tatum's failure to go beyond the black-white divide more clearly illustrated than her cursory treatment of the experience of Americans of middle eastern descent. Arab Americans have a scant two paragraphs (in the context of being "Asian American"), whilst Jews are subsumed as white. Of course, in a book written before 2001 this is to some extent understandable. But in light of the fact that both groups have assimilated so well, Tatum's curosry treatment of them also suggests, once again, that Tatum projects her own experiences as a black American unfairly onto the experience of other groups. Tatum avoids examples of overwhelmingly successful assimilation (also experienced to a lesser degree by South Asian, white Hispanic, and Japanese Americans) like the plague throughout her book. Clearly this makes the work incredibly "black-centric".

As a multiracial person, I found Tatum's discussion of multi-racial families artificial. I am simply unconvinced she understands the complexity of the problem. For instance, only in passing is reference made to black children teasing mixed race children for their wavy hair or non-African features. Although I have repeated problems with her reference to the empirical literature throughout the book, by the time she gets around to discussing the empirical literature on the problems of mixed-race Americans, I am disinclined to trust her summary of the empirical literature that mixed-race children turn out generally fine. Worse, Tatum's focus on the offspring of black-white relationships is unjustified. Tatum herself should recognize the reason for this - namely, the one drop rule. As Barack Obama's experience illustrates, offspring of black-white couples are black first and foremost. As such, their experience with the sort of racism pervasive in society is only marginally different from that of lighter skinned blacks. A really interesting examination would have been the offspring of white-Asian, white-Pacific Islander, or white-Amerindians, because both groups have offspring that really are neither white nor Asian/Pacific/Amerindian. Disappointingly, and unsurprisingly, Tatum largely ignores such cases.

Finally, Tatum fails to confront the central reasons why racism persists - namely, class society. She does seem somewhat more cognizant of gender and sexual orientation issues. But perhaps because Tatum herself is an academic bureaucrat of middle-class extraction, she is blind to the central role of poverty and capitalism in perpetuating racism. Either that, or she is astute enough to understand that complaining about race is acceptable within bourgeois discoure, but complaining about capitalism is not. I suspect the latter is the case.

Indeed, the strength of one's argument is often tested only when confronted with the most direct, seemingly contrary evidence, not when abetted with the most friendly evidence. Regrettably, Tatum's important message about the persistence of institutionalized racism is muddled by her having chosen the latter course. (less)

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 20, 2011 Lauren rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, race-culture

Ahistorical, psychologically reductivist piece of crap. I knew as soon as she claimed that Cleopatra was black that I wasn't going to like this book - she continuously fails to recognize race and other identities in the proper context, has a weak understanding of race as a social construct, and uses silly anecdotes to get across every point without citing relevant theory (or citing it properly, anyway - I cringed at her use of bell hooks). She tops it off by inserting a section called "beyond bl...more Ahistorical, psychologically reductivist piece of crap. I knew as soon as she claimed that Cleopatra was black that I wasn't going to like this book - she continuously fails to recognize race and other identities in the proper context, has a weak understanding of race as a social construct, and uses silly anecdotes to get across every point without citing relevant theory (or citing it properly, anyway - I cringed at her use of bell hooks). She tops it off by inserting a section called "beyond black and white" that lumps a bunch of "other" racial categories together and quickly breezes through a few important historical points for each group she discusses. When we get to the section on mixed race children, she comes out with this:

"Though theorists have attempted to develop stage-models to describe biracial identity development, there is no clear consensus about which model best accounts for the variation in experience among this population."

AS IF THAT'S NOT TRUE OF EVERY CATEGORY OF PEOPLE SHE HAS ALREADY USED PROBLEMATIC STAGE-MODELS TO DISCUSS. She relies far too heavily on psychology to explain everything else in the book--including the title question, “why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?” She focuses on the tendency of students to stick to their own because they wish to be understood, but provides the reader with no understanding of WHY race is a category of difference. No discussion of structural violence. Very little discussion of institutional racism. No understanding of identities outside race--made obvious when she conflates sex and gender in one chapter, making transphobic assumptions about boys who wish to grow up and become “Mommy.” The only thing she explains decently enough is the simple fact that RACISM AND WHITE PRIVILEGE STILL EXIST--an obvious point that’s been written about over and over again, in much more helpful ways.

My advice: stick to books about race and privilege that are written from anthropological and sociological perspectives. Psychological stage-models give absolutely no insight to the culture of racism and white privilege we live in.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 06, 2011 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

The first portion of the book focuses on being Black, and coming to terms with what Dr. Tatum, and many others in the Black community, see as America's inherent racism.

This part of the book talks a lot about "White Privilege." If you don't know what that is, basically it's that feeling that society is designed to fit you, and that causes you to take a lot of things for granted, and to not be sensitive to other people's feelings.

My whole problem with Dr. Tatum's point of view is that it focuses o...more The first portion of the book focuses on being Black, and coming to terms with what Dr. Tatum, and many others in the Black community, see as America's inherent racism.

This part of the book talks a lot about "White Privilege." If you don't know what that is, basically it's that feeling that society is designed to fit you, and that causes you to take a lot of things for granted, and to not be sensitive to other people's feelings.

My whole problem with Dr. Tatum's point of view is that it focuses on the external - you become "black" not because of who you are, but because of how other people treat you, and that's a really bad way to get to self discovery and identity, in my opinion. You will always be defined as "other" that way, because you focus on hurts. I imagine that after doing this for long enough, that whole "self-fulfilling prophesy" thing kicks in.

Dr. Tatum addresses people like me (raceless) in a very condescending manner, because we don't fit into her paradigm. To her, we are just ignoring reality and eventually we're going to get our comeuppance, and there won't be any black people to commiserate with.

I hope that we are advancing toward a country where "American" becomes a race, and we can all simply take our place inside of its great culture.

One thing I've noticed is that Dr. Tatum's responses to basic questions are ... off. When her child asks why they (she and he) are in America, if Africa is so great, Dr. Tatum starts in on slavery. To me, his question was "Mommy, why don't we move back to Africa where all the other black people are?" Why, indeed.

Another is when a white student stands up and asks "How would you feel if someone stood up and said 'all the white people should meet up'" and her response was "that would be a good idea." This dodges the point and allows her to be insensitive, condescending, and avoid answering the question - the question was how would it make you feel, not "is it a good idea?" The Dr. didn't answer the question, because she knows damn well it hurts to be excluded, no matter what race you are.

Still, as much as I think Dr. Tatum's views suck, I do think this book is a valuable resource to provoke thought and discussion.(less)

like 1 like · see review

May 17, 2013 Paige rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm giving this one five stars, mostly because I think just about everyone should read it.

I was already familiar with many of the concepts and ideas put forth in this book (thanks, Tumblr), so I'm not sure how it would come across to people running into these issues for the very first time. I found Beverly Daniel Tatum's tone to be straightforward, friendly, and sensitive. The book was smoothly written, she doesn't often get bogged down, and she covers a lot of ground. I learned some new stuff,...more I'm giving this one five stars, mostly because I think just about everyone should read it.

I was already familiar with many of the concepts and ideas put forth in this book (thanks, Tumblr), so I'm not sure how it would come across to people running into these issues for the very first time. I found Beverly Daniel Tatum's tone to be straightforward, friendly, and sensitive. The book was smoothly written, she doesn't often get bogged down, and she covers a lot of ground. I learned some new stuff, and she lists resources where you can learn even more. I love "further reading," "recommended reading," and "resource" sections of books.

I can offer a couple criticisms/critiques. First, I don't know how helpful the development stage models were. I've already forgotten them. When I took a group discussion class, there were stage models to memorize and although I see that they do have some kind of limited use, I just didn't see a lot of value in learning about them. To the author's credit, they are not really a sticking point in the book. They are unobtrusive and even when she is illustrating them with examples and case studies, the "stage model" factor kind of melts into the background. Minor quibble. Second, although she cites a lot of sources, and although anyone with the awareness can see racism in mainstream American culture, one thing she could have done in the very beginning is drop some solid data on readers, a) for clarity's sake, and b) so people can't claim that "racism is over, these are just anecdotes." It would just make it a more solid argument to lead with that information. In the epilogue, which was written after the book was first published, she does mention where one can find the "statistical evidence," but I still think a better place for it is in the very front of the book.

I think one of this book's big strengths, though, is that a lot of (white) people will be able to read this book without feeling too triggered or defensive. When I was first introduced to some of these concepts, it was a rough ride, because unlike Ms. Tatum, not everyone is willing to hold your hand through it (and understandably so). I think when most white people see the anger of POCs, they feel threatened and as a result just disengage and become disconnected. But because this book isn't angry and is actually quite sensitive to white feelings, it shouldn't have that problem. It's accessible, interesting, and engaging. And I found it to be insightful and accurate. (less)

like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, non-fiction, parenting

This is an excellent book on racism and racial identity. It's very readable and would a great first book for someone just learning about the concepts of white privilege and institutional racism.

The author walks the reader through the development of one's racial identity (both black and white) from pre-school through adulthood, with every point backed up with research. I think her section on "white identity" will be truly eye-opening to a lot of white people who read it. I've taken quite a few wo...more

like · see review

Oct 31, 2010 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am currently taking a graduate course on the psychology of race. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and angry about some of the journal articles we were reading. Then I found this book. Ms. Tatum delivers the same information in a way that is not offensive to anyone, even if you don't agree with everything she says. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in racial identity development or interracial understanding.

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 03, 2007 Régine Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ppl who attend schools where there is a racial majority

I first read this book in high school. At the time it was very a propos since racial identity issues were constantly in question at the elite New England prep school I attended. When I heard Dr. Tatum as a senior I was even more impressed by how closely her work spoke to the experience of so many and can be used as a tool to enlighten those skeptical or unwilling to think through the complexity of how race and education interrelate.

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, april, nyc-book-club, women-writers, nonfiction

We chose this book for book club, and I do think that we will have an interesting discussion. However, I don't know that I necessarily learned anything new from reading it that I can bring to the table in our discussion.

Look, race relations in America will always be a timely and relevant topic, for better or worse. But this book was written in 1997. That was pre-9/11, pre-Obama, pre-a LOT of things. There are a whole lot of new issues and incidents that have come up as a result of a shifting wo...more

like · see review

Nov 24, 2010 Marit rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This book was published in the late 1990's but still is relevant for today's American society. Dr. Tatum includes multiple psychology and social science studies in this work along with published theory of child-adolescent-adult psychological development as it specifically relates to racial issues. The book mostly focuses on Black-White race issues because that is what Dr. Tatum is most familiar with, both personally and professionally. However, she does give a good chunk of space to other races,...more

like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Gayle E. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tatum does an excellent job outlining the experience of racial identity development and the phenomenon of white privilege. Our college selected this book for its book discussion group, and it created quite a stir - most likely because identifying white privilege can be very upsetting, unsettling, and threatening. What Tatum does that I like is that she doesn't just talk about white privilege - she intertwines that discussion with an outline of the racial identity development process, and how for...more

like · see review

Apr 16, 2013 Christina Bell rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book had some very important insights into race and identity development. As a future teacher, I found it very helpful and interesting. It raised important questions and issues. However, there were some things with which I disagreed. For example, the idea of having an all-white group to discuss racism...I'm white. I don't want an all-white group to discuss racial issues. That's sort of like an all-male group getting together to discuss women. As a feminist, women should be in on the convers...more

like · see review

Jan 22, 2013 Edwin Portugal rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the parts of the book where she discusses racial identity; they were interesting and she explained it well.

This book was especially applicable to myself as a student and also as someone who does not affiliate with any specific race. I am ethnically Asian with parents who were both born in the Philippines but was raised in a rural, predominantly-white, conservative, religious town. Even though it was a homogenous white community, my family was well-re...more

like · see review

May 17, 2012 Kayla Allen is currently reading it

Kayla Allen is reading this book.

Kayla Allen
“Why are all the black kids sitting in the cafeteria together?”

“Walk into any racially mixed high school cafeteria at lunch time and you will instantly notice an identifiable group of black students sitting together. Conversely, there are many white students sitting together, thought we rarely comment about that. The question is “Why are all the black kids sitting together?”” -Beverly Daniel Tatum. Beverly Tatum is the author of this novel. It just so...more Kayla Allen is reading this book.

Kayla Allen
“Why are all the black kids sitting in the cafeteria together?”

“Walk into any racially mixed high school cafeteria at lunch time and you will instantly notice an identifiable group of black students sitting together. Conversely, there are many white students sitting together, thought we rarely comment about that. The question is “Why are all the black kids sitting together?”” -Beverly Daniel Tatum. Beverly Tatum is the author of this novel. It just so happens that’s she is a psychologist who studies racial identity. She presents in “Why are all the black kids sitting in the cafeteria together?” about the development of racial identity and its relations in the 20th century. This novel gives us a new outlook of talking and thinking about what race look like from a different view. Throughout the novel she strives to get the message across that we all have a racial identification and we must be proud about it. Beverly explains that racism doesn’t essentially entail any one person to racist attitudes. She thinks that a social state in which race gives some groups greater social and material goods than others. When children are young playing together they hardly ever let the color of their skin affect their socialization. And as children get older and move into middle school they do tend to begin to hang out in crowds with people of their own ethnic group. Tatum wants to educate people and the responsibility of racial issues with this book she has written. She wishes to get people to learn how to handle certain situations if one ever occurred with race. This is a respectable idea because the black race is faced with so many stereotypes, not just the black race, all races, the minorities. Whites are scared of using the wrong words and coming off as "racist" while parents of color are afraid of revealing their children to painful racial realisms too soon. Using real-life examples and the latest research, Tatum presents durable evidence that talk about our racial identities. We all are singled out in so many ways, never judged on whom we really are, we are judged on what society has perceived us to be. The author uses research as well as to discuss the process of racial identity development from childhood to adulthood among people in the US. Throughout this novel her main focus is on Black and White issue, but Tatum also decides to discuss issues that include 'Brown" and other racial identities in her conversations. This book provides a guide to better understand the racial dynamics of their daily lives.
The Ku Klux Klan, is a group that only supports the white race, they have gatherings and are very violent towards other races. The Klan remains the one with the greatest number of national and local organizations around the country. There are more than 40 different Klan groups exist. This relates very much to the novel because race is the highlight topic and it demonstrates how whites think they have some kind of dominance over black people. “To say that it is not our fault does not relieve us of responsibility. However, we may not have polluted the air, but we need to take responsibility, along with others, for cleaning it up. Each of us needs to look at our own behavior. Am I perpetuating and reinforcing the negative messages so pervasive in our culture, or am I seeking to challenge them?” This quote is from the novel and could very much be directed to the KKK, behavior and responsibility are two things this Klan don’t comprehend. This world is an ugly place because of people like them, if they understood equalization and didn’t have so much hate built up inside them for no reason, this world would be a more peaceful place. God didn’t intend on making this earth for just one race, he made different races for a reason and the reason was not to think one was better than the other. “Many white people experience themselves as powerless, even in the face of privilege. But the fact is that we all have a sphere of influence, some domain in which we exercise some level of power and control. The task for each of us, White and of color, is to identify what our own sphere of influence is (however large or small) and to consider how it might be used to interrupt the cycle of racism.” This is another quote that demonstrates the white race and its mind set towards racism. “The social pressure from friend and acquaintance to collude, to not notice racism, can be quite powerful” this quote ties together what exactly the Klan is about. They group up together and all share the same thing in common which is racism, and together they can be quite powerful.
Beverly Daniel Tatum is a very liberal person. A liberal person believes in equality and they believe that things should be solved. "In the absence of dissonance, this dimension of identity escapes conscious attention." Throughout the entire novel, she educates the readers on how people should view race correctly, and how all should be equal. She understands both view points on life as a black and life as a white, but she also believes in peace between the two. “We must all find equality important in order to succeed as one” with Tatums quotes you can easily see how liberal of a person she is, she continuously shows example of how important being equal is to her.” In order to prevent chronic discomfort, Whites may learn not to notice.” She is implying that it takes to in order to create equality that both sides must come in agreement with one another.
(less)

like · see review

Jul 08, 2011 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, social-work

This book presents the basics of race relations in the United States and racial identity development. While I tend to prefer meatier books in terms of research, the anecdotal evidence and case studies are powerful. Tatum has written a well-researched, unapologetic book that explains the realities of living as a member of a minority group in the United States. While the book is largely centered on Black-White relations, she also points out that most people are both victims of oppression and benef...more

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 23, 2011 David Glasgow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, social-justice

This has been a valuable read for me, though I'm not sure Tatum ever even acknowledges the question that nagged at me all the way through: does the fact that positive images of non-"majority"* (white/male/wealthy/straight/physically able) culture are less common, mean that "minority"* individuals are duty-bound to become tokens of minority culture & history? Is it possible, to make the question personal, for a gay man to be an advocate for gay rights, to combat heterosexism and homophobia, w...more This has been a valuable read for me, though I'm not sure Tatum ever even acknowledges the question that nagged at me all the way through: does the fact that positive images of non-"majority"* (white/male/wealthy/straight/physically able) culture are less common, mean that "minority"* individuals are duty-bound to become tokens of minority culture & history? Is it possible, to make the question personal, for a gay man to be an advocate for gay rights, to combat heterosexism and homophobia, while nevertheless "assimilating" to traditional "straight" manners of dress, patterns of speech, career, leisure activities, political affiliation, etc?

Granted, race and sexual identity, while similar, cannot be directly compared, and much of the skepticism and doubt I feel reading Tatum's words may stem from the fact that I have the privilege of choosing whether or not to be "out" as a gay man—and that nearly all of my immediately apparent identity conforms to the "majority" image.

And of course I fully share her frustration with the paucity of minority*-focused historical and cultural education in America, and fully support measures to improve students' awareness of the people of color, women, non-wealthy, and queer individuals (and their outspoken majority* allies) whose courageous impact on society traditionally goes unnoticed (or at least unspoken).

But my deeply held belief is that every kid in the cafeteria should grow up not into a representative of this or that category, but into a self-confident individual of integrity—that a Black woman shouldn't be made to feel that straightening her hair is an act of rebellion, any more than a gay man should feel guilty for eschewing techno music, piercings, and leather underwear. That vision is, I think, present in the spirit of Tatum's book, but I'm not convinced she—or any of us—has yet found the best way to work toward the dream.

*"Majority" and "minority" in terms of the power they hold in society, regardless of actual demographic "counts."(less)

like · see review

May 18, 2012 Leslie Zychowski added it

Leslie Zychowski

The book that I chose to read was “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum who is a psychologist. She studies black children’s racial development and teaches courses at colleges about race. In this book she gives answers to many questions that people have but are afraid to ask. This book is also about racism and other topics. Each chapter is about a different subject, for example one chapter is about Racial Identity in Adulthood and...more Leslie Zychowski

The book that I chose to read was “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum who is a psychologist. She studies black children’s racial development and teaches courses at colleges about race. In this book she gives answers to many questions that people have but are afraid to ask. This book is also about racism and other topics. Each chapter is about a different subject, for example one chapter is about Racial Identity in Adulthood and another chapter is about The Development of White Identity. The book consists of different conversations about race. The book talks about adults who are both white and of color and how they are afraid to talk to their children about race. In the book is scenarios of different situations that may happen. Also, the book explains that adults are afraid of bringing up the subject of race to their children because they think that it will make them color-conscious when they weren’t in the first place. This book also describes identity and how black and white people identify themselves, and dominant groups in society as a whole. She compares dominants to subordinates and how the dominants do not understand the experiences of the subordinates. She talks about how the groups are treated differently in society, and how people assume certain things about each group.
Tatum also talks about child development and its relationship to race, and how parents handle the subject when it comes up randomly one day from their child. She gives examples and scenarios about what to say and how to react when parents are put in this awkward situation. Tatum also gives personal stories about her kids and tells readers what she has said to her children that she finds to be acceptable. Tatum also describes the transformation from childhood to adulthood and how racial identity is formed throughout these stages in life. She talks about stages that people go through when experiencing racial identity development. It is called Cross’ Model (the psychology of become black). Not only does Tatum talk about the psychology of becoming black, but she also talks about the psychology of becoming white as well. In these chapters, the topic of affirmative action comes up, and how white people see this as a disadvantage to their race. She also talks about accepting the fact that being white is personally and socially significant in our society.
Towards the end of the book Tatum talks about other races not only just Blacks and Whites. Some of the races include American Indian, Asian, and Latino. She talks about stereotypes that are given to people of these different races, and gives examples of each. She talks about the population of these races in the United States, and all of the ethnic groups that are included within being “Asian” or “Latino”. Tatum then goes on to talk about multiracial families and how children of biracial families go through their identity development as well. She ends the book by saying how we have to break the silence. “Breaking the Silence” is the name of the last chapter. She talks about how by staying silent it causes a lot of problems in our society. Everyone is afraid of saying the wrong thing about race and racism, that nobody says anything at all. She wants to get the message across to find a way to speak about these things, and to find the courage to change our society.
A quote from the book that I found interesting was “Imagine David at fifteen, six-foot-two, wearing the adolescent attire of the day, passing adults he doesn’t know on the sidewalk. Do the women hold their purses a little tighter, maybe even cross the street to avoid him?” (Tatum, 54). In this excerpt Tatum is talking about her son, who is black. This reminded me of the discussion in class when we talked about the Trayvon Martin case. Many people can argue that boys are targeted because of the color of their skin, and that is the point that Tatum is trying to make. In the Trayvon Martin case, he was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch man. Was he targeted because he was darker skinned or was there another reason? The book shows how many African Americans are treated throughout society. Another quote that I found was “All human populations are mixed populations” (Tatum 168). I found this statement to be very true, especially considering South Brunswick. In our town there are many different people that are all different races. Also, in our high school you can walk down the hallway and there are a variety of people whose background are from all different parts of the world. This quote reminded me about our IPLE class in particular, and how we have many people who are a different race. It is interesting to see how many people are from what background and race. Another quote that I found was “As a society, we pay a price for our silence. Unchallenged personal, cultural, and institutional racism results in the loss of human potential, lowered productivity, and a rising tide fear and violence in our society” (Tatum 200). I find this statement to be true, because racism is very common in our society and most people do not speak up about it. There are many hate groups in our society, that continue to voice their opinions, that we have learned about in class. We still remain to do nothing about racism, and I think that we do not take it very seriously. Walking around in school there are many acts of racism and stereotypes that people do unknowingly, and that is something that needs to be changed.
Throughout the entire book the author talks about racism and racial identity in America. She explains how people in America do not handle racism correctly, and how to deal with it when you are put in an awkward situation. The author also explains that racism is a growing epidemic in our country, and it will continue to grow if nobody talks about it or decides to put a stop to it. Everything has become so natural that it is hard to understand how hurtful and difficult it can be for people of certain races. “Consequently, most of the early information we receive about “others”-- people racially, religiously, or socioeconomically different from ourselves--does not come as the result of firsthand experience. The secondhand information we do receive has often been distorted, shaped by cultural stereotypes, and left incomplete” (Tatum 4). Basically, she is saying that we form opinions about people who are “different” from us based off of what we hear rather then what we experience. I think that she is trying to prove that it is harder for certain races in society because of what everybody thinks they know about them. I also think in the beginning of the book the authors writing is intended for people who are white. “At the center of these conversations is an understanding of racial identity, the meaning each of us has constructed or is constructing about what it means to be a White person or a person of color in a race-conscious society” (Tatum xviii). She points out how difficult it can be when you are a person of color in a white society because whites do not understand what it is like to be the “minority”. I think the author was writing to open up the eyes of people who do not seem to understand. Throughout the book the author continues to make very good points, and I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested about racial issues and forming identity in society.

Critique-
I read Taylor Sassman's review about the book "In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect" and I think that she did an excellent job. While I was reading the review that she wrote, I really became interested in the book. The book talked about the secret service men and all of the information that they secretly know about our previous and former President's, and other information that the outside world does not know about. She used many quotes to give examples and it was easy for me to understand. By reading the review, I was able to get a glimpse of what the book was about and she had very good points. She talks about how the President is made out to be such a wonderful person but in reality they do not have everything together. I think that this shows that the President is just like any other person in a way. I think that this was very interesting because everyone looks up to the President as being perfect, but in reality they all have their issues. In one part of the review Taylor states, "They tell you the untold stories from John F Kennedy's affairs with other women, from swimming in the pools with other women until Jackie arrived home, the other President's code names like Searchlight, Richard Nixon who did not even sleep in the same bedroom as his wife and Lyndon Johnson's alcoholic problems at his ranch house lashing out and passing out. It shows us the truth about even our President today, President Barack Obama and his struggle with smoking." These are the things that most people are hidden about the President and I think that this book will give you a lot of insight as to what really goes on. I think that Taylor did a very good job at writing the review, and after reading this review, I would recommend this book to other people. It was very interesting and caught my eye.
(less)

like · see review

Nov 15, 2011 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-challenge-2011

Great book! A great systematic approach to racism, particularly interesting because it's from the perspective of a psychologist. Tatum explicitly addresses many, many misconceptions/stereotypes/questions about race, as the book title suggests, with straightforward responses, sometimes answers, sometimes redirections. Many of the stories come from Tatum's life as an educator and parent. Ok that's all awesome, but something that really got me about this book is the SUGGESTED READING section at the...more

like · see review

Apr 17, 2013 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Race can be a difficult topic to discuss, fraught with landmines that well-intentioned people can stumble onto unwittingly. Dr. Tatum bravely dives right in and, using personal experience in addition to her professional research and perspective, provides a valuable framework towards better understanding others and more effectively broaching these sensitive discussions.

The title of this book, "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" initially caught my eye, probably because...more Race can be a difficult topic to discuss, fraught with landmines that well-intentioned people can stumble onto unwittingly. Dr. Tatum bravely dives right in and, using personal experience in addition to her professional research and perspective, provides a valuable framework towards better understanding others and more effectively broaching these sensitive discussions.

The title of this book, "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" initially caught my eye, probably because I identified with the question. The students in my high school in Williamsburg, Virginia, were about half black, half white, and, yes, when you walked into the cafeteria, there was a pretty distinct delineation with most of the black kids sitting on one side of the room and most of the white kids sitting on the other.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a military family, so we moved every few years during my childhood. My dad was stationed in places from coast to coast including Orlando, Florida; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; the Pentagon; and Newport News, Virginia. As a child, I got to see a lot of the country, and I was exposed to a variety of people of many races, ethnicities, backgrounds. My parents made a concerted effort to introduce us to other cultures and to help us recognize that there were many valid walks of life. But I still noticed the natural tendency toward homogeneous groups than sometimes made it difficult to really get to know others who were different from me. As Dr. Tatum points out, "There is still a great deal of social segregation in our communities. Consequently, most of the early information we receive about 'others'--people racially, religiously, or socioeconomically different from ourselves--does not come as the result of firsthand experience. The secondhand information we do receive has often been distorted, shaped by cultural stereotypes, and left incomplete."

One point Dr. Tatum makes right at the beginning of her book is her differentiation between prejudice and racism. "We all have prejudices," she explains, "not because we want them, but simply because we are so continually exposed to misinformation about others." She continues, "Prejudice is one of the inescapable consequences of living in a racist society. Cultural racism--the cultural images and messages that affirm the assumed superiority of Whites and the assumed inferiority of people of color--is like smog in the air. Sometimes it is so thick it is visible, other times it is less apparent, but always, day in and day out, we are breathing it in." Quoting David Wellman, Dr. Tatum explains that racism is defined as a "system of advantage based on race." "This definition of racism is useful because it allows us to see that racism, like other forms of oppression, is not only a personal ideology based on racial prejudice, but a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as the beliefs and actions of individuals." This distinction may not seem like a big deal, but it addresses the difference between an individual's thoughts and beliefs and the structural issues in society that systematically disadvantage certain segments of the population, regardless of the opinions of the individuals involved.

Continue reading this review on my blog at Build Enough Bookshelves.(less)

like · see review

Feb 22, 2009 Ellyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2005

The author, a black female psychologist, explores a theory called racial identity development theory -- basically, how individuals come to have a conception of race in general and of their own membership in a particular racial group. It's a very insightful and thought-provoking book. It focuses mainly on blacks and whites but includes a chapter on other races and one on multiracial individuals. It also contains an interesting discussion of affirmative action. While reading this book, all I wante...more

like · see review

Jul 19, 2007 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Interesting and thought provoking. Great read for anyone who is around 12-13 year olds - it gives perspective to idea of development of racial identity in adolescence.

like 1 like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Andy Oram rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics

I highly recommend this book to everyone, particularly white people
who think the issues of race relations are straightforward. The book
is quite up-to-date and taught me a lot even though I've worked on
issues of racism and diversity for years. The best part for me was the
description of what it's like to grow up as a racial minority; how a
member of those communities is affected and reacts to the many
messages that become increasingly obvious but of which the majority
population is pretty much ignora...more

like · see review

May 04, 2013 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sp-curriculum, own

To be clear: Tatum's black/white discussion & research is really helpful. She should have just stuck with Parts 1, 2, and 3 rather than trying to tack on discussion about Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, and bi/multicultural people. After two helpful sections on black & white identity and development, I expected similarly helpful dialogue, and found myself disappointed. It averaged out to 12 pages per ethnic group - hardly enough space for a real discussion.

But Parts 2 and 3, Understan...more

like · see review

title link	preview: "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity
avg rating	preview: "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Develop Goodreads rating: 4.02 (3250 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16280._Why_Are_All_The_Black_Kids_Sitting_Together_in_the_Cafeteria_?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348029522l/16280.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16280._Why_Are_All_The_Black_Kids_Sitting_Together_in_the_Cafeteria_?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]"Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity by Beverly Daniel Tatum[/url]

"Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (7)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Beverly Daniel Tatum

Books by Beverly Daniel Tatum

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About "Why Are All The ...