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Art and Education as Catalysts for Racial Justice
“Ignorance paves the way for racism, but it is racism that thrives on ignorance. It necessitates a lack of awareness regarding the facts,” asserts Sarah Lewis, an Associate Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and founder of the Vision & Justice program, which aims to interlace culture, art, and research to foster equity and justice.
Ms. Lewis recently participated in a United Nations event that commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In an interview with UN News’s Ana Carmo, she explored the vital role that art, culture, and collective action play in addressing persistent racial discrimination.
The interview has been modified for conciseness and clarity.
UN News: What role does art play in raising awareness of racial discrimination and motivating action toward its eradication?
Sarah Lewis: My upbringing, just ten blocks from the United Nations, sparked my interest in the narratives that shape our perception of belonging. These narratives influence behaviors and justify laws and social norms.
My scholarship focuses on the power of these narratives shaped over centuries through cultural influence. While celebrating significant policy achievements from various nations, it’s essential to note that these accomplishments require supportive communication through our built environments, the imagery that surrounds us, and the monuments we uphold.
Frederick Douglass, a formerly enslaved abolitionist, notably addressed this concept in his 1861 speech Pictures in Progress. He articulated how culture can advocate for justice, concentrating not on individual artists but rather on the transformative effect of confronting disturbing truths through compelling imagery that compels action.
UN News: This year marks the 60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. How can societies better engage with historical struggles for racial justice amidst persistent racial discrimination?
Sarah Lewis: Presently, we are witnessing shifts in educational norms across many nations. Some are teaching slavery as beneficial, focusing on purported skills gained by the enslaved.
To combat these trends, we must center our efforts on education. Ignorance permits racism, and combating it requires knowledge of the facts. The understanding that slavery, even after its abolition, has morphed into persistent systemic inequality inspires the imperative for action.
Without educational efforts, we risk failing to solidify and enact the norms, policies, and treaties that we advocate for at forums like this one.
Historically, the struggle for a brighter future in South Africa was marred by apartheid, but the fight against racial injustice ultimately established a foundation of equality and universal rights.
UN News: You emphasize the importance of education and narrative change. How can communities encourage transformative narratives and eliminate biases?
Sarah Lewis: If we recognize education as critical, we must consider how we educate. This process extends beyond conventional institutions; rather, it encompasses the prevailing narrative messages permeating our environments.
On a personal level, each of us can reflect on questions such as: What are we observing, and why? What narratives shape societal perceptions of inclusion? And what steps can we take to amend any unjust narratives?
We each play a vital, individual role in creating a fairer society that we all envision.
UN News: During your time as an undergraduate at Harvard, you identified gaps in the curriculum. How essential is the inclusion of visual representation in education, particularly in the United States?
Sarah Lewis: Silence and erasure cannot be tolerated in nations striving for justice. Although I attended remarkable schools, I often found significant omissions in my education—not due to intentional neglect but rather a cultural choice about which narratives were prioritized over others.
My understanding of these omissions grew through engagement with the arts, leading me to explore what mainstream perspectives deemed significant in terms of artistic representation.
Years back, I authored a book addressing the collective failure to recognize these neglected narratives. In many instances, justice emerges when society confronts its failures.
Justice requires a collective humility from all of us, recognizing past wrongs. This humility is essential for educators, students, and citizens alike as we strive to reintegrate omitted narratives into our education systems.
UN News: You refer to ‘almost failures’ in your book, recognizing near victories in our journeys. How can we acknowledge progress towards eliminating racial discrimination without succumbing to feelings of defeat?
Sarah Lewis: Countless social justice movements began with an admission of failure and wrongness; I contend that every significant movement has roots in this realization. We must remain undeterred. History accounts for numerous individuals who exemplified this journey.
Take Charles Black Jr., for example. One evening in the 1930s, he heard jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong and observed the brilliance emerging from this Black musician. It compelled him to affirm that racial segregation was inherently incorrect, leading him to actively work towards justice.
He would later contribute to the landmark case of ‘Brown v. Board of Education’ that dismantled segregation in the U.S. Black also became pivotal in academia, teaching tirelessly at Columbia and Yale and hosting ‘Armstrong listening nights’ in tribute to the artist who catalyzed his journey toward justice.
We need to embrace the notion that feelings of failure should not dissuade us from pursuing justice, but rather inspire continuing efforts. Charles Black Jr.’s story exemplifies how personal encounters can be the spark that ignites significant societal change.
Source
news.un.org