Deep Denial: The Persistence of White Supremacy in in United States History andLife

by David Billings

Deep Denial explains why race is still with us, and what the Civil Rights Movement can tell us about today.

Part I takes a broad historical view, from seventeenth century Virginia through World War II., examining the origins of white supremacy as a structural feature of US society and describing its evolution over time.

Part II features the Civil Rights Movement, how it emerged in the post-WWII era, how the struggle was waged in the 1950s and '60s, and how it subsequently devolved from a vibrant community-led, issue-based movement to a bureaucratic, government-sponsored, needs-based nonprofit industry that remains with us today.

Each chapter begins with an intimate and unsparingly personal account from the author's own life. After drawing the reader into his topic, he lays out the historical facts, while still retaining the master storyteller's sense of engagement with the reader.

Genres: Social Justice, Race, Nonfiction, Sociology, American History

280 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2016

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Denial is an important history of White Supremacy with each chapter introduced through the autobiographical stories of the author. Mr. Billing's story puts the history of systemic racism in a personal context telling his own journey of learning to live an anti-racist life.

Such an important book for this time in our history when our inability as a society to dismantle White Supremacy continues to cause so much death and destruction. We are the generation that must do this work and facing white denial and coming to grips with our history is so critical.

[Barbara Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Makes a good case for undoing white supremacy. If you are white and CLAIM to be a Christian, this is a must read.

[Hugolane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book not expecting to be surprised by much, and on one level I as not. As an historian, even one whose focus has been on Europe much more than the United States, the political developments were generally not news. The personal narrative that begins each chapter how was touching and informative about an experience I don't know too much about beyond my knowledge of Elvis's and Sam Phillips's early life. The glimpses into the reality of southern life and the way segregation was enforced both before and after Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, however, were an awakening. That said, while I don't object to his narrative, especially regarding events since the 1970s, I would be a bit more forgiving. To have carried on the Civil Rights struggle at the same pitch as had been done in the 1960s strikes me as impossible. Permanent revolutions just don't work, they are stop and start affairs even if the issues that drive them never go away. With the Babyboomers who have experienced the 1950s-1960s changes now retiring and opening the way at last for new voices it is not surprising one can see signs of a more aggressive activism returning to the fore, not that it will solve our race problem once and for all, but it will take us to a new place

[Therese Brink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book for all white people living in the United States. If white person does not know what white privilege is, they would certainly know by the end of the book.

The author raided in the deep South is still involved in undoing racism. I found his personal experiences with white racism very illuminating.

The biggest idea I got from this book is that racism is mostly not an issue at the individual level (it can be though), but racism is institutionalized and systemic throughout society.

Many white people who often have a strong sense of self will say things like "I am not responsible. I am not a racist." I have heard similar comments like this from white friends who just do not seem to get it. Yet racism persists because of the economic and political structures within US society.

[Lucinda Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an act of courageous transparency by David Billings, master trainer for People's Institute for Survival and Beyond and their life-changing workshops called Undoing Racism. While telling the story of racism in the United States, he begins each chapter with full disclosure of his journey as a white male in Mississippi, each unconscious, bigoted act, and then his slow awakening. His journey needs to be our journey. White people need to do an about face to look at our part in building and maintaining a racist society. And find the humanity that lies on the other side as we slowly live into a better world.

Heads up. While Billings is not a writer, hang in. The journey is worth it.

[Pam Venne · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Billings takes a historical look as well as a personal look at the Civil Rights movements in the United States and its impact on those involved.

While his personal stories at the beginning of each chapter set the stage, I found it hard to read the italic type and skimmed a lot of it.

I did not agree with his findings toward the end of the book. I think he went too far over for me to buy into reparations and responsibility for what has happened to blacks. Perhaps that is what he calls my White Supremacy coming through.

[C. Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awakening to the racist in me

I was enlightened by the information in this book! I am a white !liberal and thought I was not a racist! I can now see why my black friends have told me that even though I don't recognize it in myself if is definitely there. I have a great deal of work to do before I can make that claim. Thank you, David Billings!

[Steve Burby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the best book on white supremacy to date.

Don't be thrown by the academic title: Deep Denial is a compelling and moving combination of history and autobiography from the inside.

[John Babb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mississippian David Billings has tackled a subject which whites have struggled with for years. He writes of his experiences during his childhood and young adulthood, relating them to the persistence of racism in the U.S. I haven't read an analysis this thought provoking.

[Lianne JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very illuminating history of white supremacy in the US and also very accessible. I also liked the combination of history telling and personal reflection, which I think makes the book more powerful.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned tons from this book about US history and the internalized superiority of white, Northern, academic society. Pairing history with memoir makes learning so sticky—especially because Billings's life story is so fascinating.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tough one to read. So much history. So much to think about. So much more work to be done.

[Christine Cottrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

[Lydia's Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and convicting

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent explanation of how racism and White supremacy, especially in the United States, came to be and continues to be.

[HalKid2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Only This Book Were Required Within Every School System Curriculum. Awarded 5 stars on Goodreads.

I did not award five stars because this is an easy book to read. It's not. And not because it is full of exceptionally well-written prose. I am giving it five stars primarily because of the power and importance of its message and the way in which it forced me to reevaluate white privilege and its flip side, racism, in America.

The author, David Billings, is a minister and experienced community organizer, who has fought racism for decades. By combining his own personal stories of growing up white in the South with our country’s history, he has created a readable narrative that illustrates all the systematic ways white Americans have used their power to maintain distance from Native Americans, Black Americans, Chinese immigrants, Japanese immigrants and Latinos. For me, Billings’s greatest gift is the ability to keep a “big picture” framework front and center, which puts the story of this country’s racism in an unique perspective. That’s important because too often, as Billings points out, it’s simply too easy to get sidelined when talking about race. Since it's a difficult and uncomfortable topic for ALL people.

What this book did for me is convince me that Billings is, unfortunately, accurate in the sobering truths he tells. Racism is as core a part of the American story as concepts like freedom and democracy. And it always has been. And I can now see many of the ways that our government institutions, laws, and social organizations have consistently worked together, in overt, subtle and insidious ways, to perpetuate a divided society where black Americans (and others) are continually disadvantaged. And for someone who one day hopes to see a less racist world, reading this book has been an important step toward my understanding of what's wrong.

See more of my reviews at www.tobyasmith.com

[Evelyn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome awesome book.

David puts white supremacy in perspective for me. I knew some things but was surprised about others. As a black female who is personally dealing with white supremacy because of dating a white man. It all makes since. I look forward to any other books if their is any.Maybe more people like David can make a change for the better. No more racism should exist.

[Scott Butki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stuff

I've heard good things about this book and I plan to participate in a book discussion going on about it.