The Daily The Sunday Read: ‘He Wants to Save Classics From Whiteness. Can the Field Survive?’
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May 2, 2021 Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a Dominican-born classics professor at Princeton, passionately critiques the field’s longstanding ties to white supremacy. He discusses how classical studies have perpetuated racial injustices and the urgent need to reshape these narratives. The conversation delves into the grim realities of ancient slavery and emphasizes the importance of diverse voices in academia. Padilla argues for a transformative approach in teaching classics, making it more relevant to contemporary issues of race, identity, and representation.
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The Incident
- Dan-el Padilla Peralta and Mary Frances Williams clashed at a classics conference.
- Williams argued for defending classics as the foundation of Western civilization, while Padilla believed the field was deeply entangled with white supremacy.
Family History
- Dan-el Padilla Peralta's family has a complex history with whiteness in the Dominican Republic.
- His mother's family benefited from lighter skin, while his father's family identified as Black and had a history of resistance.
Finding Classics
- Dan-el Padilla Peralta and his family, undocumented, lived in New York City shelters.
- In a shelter's library, he discovered a textbook on ancient Greece and Rome, sparking his fascination with classics.