Lies about Black People: How to Combat Racist Stereotypes and Why It Matters

Dibinga (The Upstander’s Guide to an Outstanding Life), a lecturer on Intercultural Communication at American University, investigates in this passionate study the roots of negative stereotypes about African Americans. Drawing on interviews with people across the racial, social, and economic spectrum, Dibinga shows how deeply these stereotypes have affected perception, communication, and understanding. He addresses stereotypes regarding Black people’s pain tolerance, intellectual ability, and criminality, and highlights prejudice toward African Americans in finance, housing, and the media. Dibinga demonstrates the devastating consequences of such stereotypes by focusing on policing and the justice system. For example, he recalls the “reign of terror” unleashed by Boston police against the city’s Black community, including his own family, after the 1989 murder of a pregnant white woman, Carol Stuart, allegedly by a Black man (this was later proved to be a false story invented by the murderer, Stuart’s white husband). Dibinga also showcases stories of hope and reconciliation, noting that Carol Stuart’s family started a foundation in her name to give scholarships to high school students from the neighborhood where she was slain. With useful tools for educators, including activity prompts, this is a worthwhile new antiracist workbook. Readers of Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist should take note. (July)