“For many people of color, learning to break the silence is a survival issue. To remain silent would be to disconnect from her own experience, to swallow and internalize her own oppression. The cost of silence is too high.”

-Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

Through straightforward research and examples, Dr. Tatum explores the socio-psychological reverberations of racism in America. She implores us to assess ourselves, become actively anti-racist in our actions, and overcome stigma and embarrassment to begin conversations about race early and cultivate paths to understanding and change. In Dr. Tatum's framework, she wills us "to help others move beyond fear, beyond anger, beyond denial to a new understanding of what racism is, how it impacts all of us, and ultimately what we can do about it." Join MIT Reads in discussing this evocative and ever-relevant book.