Lewis Gordon, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Connecticut and author of *Fear of Black Consciousness*, sheds light on the intriguing complexities of Black identity. He discusses whether black skin is a prerequisite for being Black and critiques the notion of white privilege in understanding racism. The conversation explores historical contexts of anti-Black racism, the existential concept of bad faith, and the empowering potential of Black consciousness. Gordon also navigates the controversial case of Rachel Dolezal, linking these themes to liberation and love.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Bronx Black Consciousness
Lewis Gordon developed Black consciousness after moving from Jamaica to the Bronx.
A white classmate calling him a racial slur triggered this awareness.
insights INSIGHT
Two Types of Black Consciousness
Lowercase "b" black consciousness is simply awareness of one's racialized position under white supremacy.
Uppercase "B" Black consciousness is a political understanding of societal contradictions.
insights INSIGHT
Racial Objectification
Both Gordon and Frantz Fanon describe similar experiences of racial objectification.
A white child's use of a racial slur made them see themselves from an outsider's perspective.
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In 'Black Skin, White Masks,' Frantz Fanon presents a critical analysis of the psychological and social effects of colonialism and racism on black individuals. The book, written in an autoethnographic style, combines Fanon's personal experiences with a historical critique of the dehumanizing impacts of colonial domination. Fanon uses psychoanalysis to explain the feelings of dependency and inadequacy that black people experience, highlighting how colonialism corrupts the psyche of both blacks and whites. He argues that the internalization of white cultural norms leads to a profound inferiority complex among black people and advocates for a rejection of these norms to achieve true self-consciousness and freedom.
Introduction à une poétique du divers
Edouard Glissant
Legitimacy from Modernity’s Underside: Potentiated Double Consciousness
Legitimacy from Modernity’s Underside: Potentiated Double Consciousness
null
Jane Anna Gordon
Fanon and the Crisis of European Man
Fanon and the Crisis of European Man
Lewis Gordon
In Defense of Transracialism
In Defense of Transracialism
null
Rebecca Tuvel
Fear of Black Consciousness
Fear of Black Consciousness
null
Lewis Gordon
Lewis Gordon's "Fear of Black Consciousness" delves into the complexities of race, identity, and power in contemporary society. Gordon challenges conventional understandings of racism, arguing that anti-Blackness operates on a systemic level, shaping not only political and economic structures but also individual consciousness. He explores the concept of Black consciousness, distinguishing between a lowercase "b" form, which is a product of anti-Black racism, and an uppercase "B" form, which is a liberatory and politically active response. The book draws on existentialist philosophy and psychoanalysis to illuminate the psychological and existential dimensions of racial oppression. Gordon's work offers a powerful critique of existing power structures and a vision for a more just and equitable future.
Bad Faith and Antiblack racism
Bad Faith and Antiblack racism
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Lewis Gordon
Lewis Gordon's "Bad Faith and Antiblack Racism" delves into the philosophical underpinnings of racial oppression. Gordon uses the existentialist concept of bad faith to analyze how individuals and societies deny the reality of racial injustice. He argues that anti-Black racism is not merely a matter of individual prejudice but a systemic phenomenon that shapes social structures and individual consciousness. The book explores the ways in which bad faith manifests in various aspects of life, from interpersonal relationships to political institutions. Gordon's work offers a powerful critique of the ways in which individuals and societies perpetuate racial inequality through self-deception and denial. He calls for a more honest and self-aware approach to confronting the realities of racial injustice.
The Souls of Black Folk
Héctor Arnau
Patricia H. Hinchey
Eugene F. Provenzo
Slingshot Books
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
W.E.B. Du Bois
Brent Hayes Edwards
Monty
Karl Simrock
Monica M. Elbert
Arnold Rampersad
Shawn Alexander
Prentice Onayemi
Farah Jasmine Griffin
Walter Covell
Published in 1903, 'The Souls of Black Folk' is a foundational text of American literature and sociology. The book explores themes of race, identity, and the quest for equality in an era marked by systemic racism and segregation. Du Bois reflects on the historical context of Emancipation, the double-consciousness of being both Black and American, and the struggles of the Black community. His prophetic remarks and critical insights have been cited as the intellectual framework for the Civil Rights movement and continue to influence contemporary writers.
I Write What I Like
Selected Writings
Steve Biko
Aelred Stubbs
Lewis Gordon
This book contains a selection of Steve Biko's writings during his tenure as president of the South African Students' Organization and until he was prohibited from publishing in 1972. The collection includes contributions from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Malusi and Thoko Mpumlwana, and a memoir by Father Aelred Stubbs. Biko's writings address issues of racism, postcolonialism, and black nationalism, and they continue to inspire and educate readers about the struggle against apartheid and the importance of black empowerment.
Do you need black skin to be Black? How might concepts such as white privilege be limiting our understanding of how racism works? In Episode 117 of Overthink, Ellie and David chat with philosopher Lewis Gordon about his book, Fear of Black Consciousness. They talk through the history of anti-Black racism, the existential concept of bad faith, why Rachel Dolezal might have Black consciousness, and Frantz Fanon’s experience of being called a racial slur by a white child on a train. From the American Blues to the Caribbean movement of Negritude, this episode is full of insight into Black liberation and White centeredness. In the bonus, Ellie and David go into greater detail about how Black liberation is connected to love.
Works Discussed: Steve Bantu Biko, I Write What I Like W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks Edouard Glissant, Introduction à une Poétique du Divers Jane Anna Gordon, “Legitimacy from Modernity’s Underside: Potentiated Double Consciousness” Lewis Gordon, Bad Faith and Antiblack racism Lewis Gordon, Fear of Black Consciousness Rebecca Tuvel, “In Defense of Transracialism”
Overthink 
