Sparked: George Floyd, Racism, and the Progressive Illusion

Reflections on race in Minnesota in the wake of George Floyd's death and the uprisings that followed, as told by current and former residents of the state.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by Minneapolis police officers, sparking months of unrest at home and around the world. As millions took to the streets to express their outrage and speak out against systemic racism, injustice, and institutionalized violence, the city of Minneapolis and its residents were deeply shaken. Formany, George Floyd's murder and the ensuing uprisings shattered the city's reputation for progressive ideals and a high quality of life. For many others, the incident simply caught on camera a representation of the harsh realities and paradoxes that they have been living with for generations. In the words of Jasmine Mitchell, "the ‘Minnesota nice’ comforts and illusionary progressiveness resides upon the ignoring of White racial terrorism and fears of Blackness, brown immigrants, and resistance to White supremacy."

Sparked brings together the perspectives of social scientists, professors, and other academics who work or have worked in Minnesota. The essays present reflections on racial dynamics in the Twin Cities and the intersection of the wonderful and wretched sides of that existence, revealing deep complexities, ingrained inequities, and diverse personalexperiences.

From “Will Words Lead to Action?” by Marcia Williams

I must admit that I didn’t want to write this piece. It feels like I am giving away too much by sharing my experiences and emotions. I know that words have power, but Black people have been writing our stories and sharing our truths for over four hundred years—and so much of that time our words have fallen on deaf ears. Constant accusations of "oversensitivity," "making race an issue," or imposing "political correctness" onto "innocent" white folk gets old. It is also extremely painful. Black people are often accused of being angry, and we are—but underneath our anger is a pain so raw, so intense, and so constant that the only way to keep going is to "numb" ourselves to the many faces of racism that reveal themselves day to day. The numbing itself is exhausting, as is the process of deciding which racist comments/actions we will respond to, how to respond to them, or whether to let them go. . . .

I would like to think that the graphic and undeniable murder of George Floyd would be the catalyst we need for revolutionary change to the racial culture of America. But I fear that not many people would be willing to sacrifice their racial privilege, even those who are outraged at this act of police brutality and are now out in the streets protesting.Renouncing such privilege (and certainly relinquishing power) is fundamental to achieving racial equality, and while the protests may provide a glimmer of hope in the moment, it is too easy for white people to turn away and go back to a world where George Floyd’s murder—much like Emmett Till’s—becomes just another piece of American history that they can convince themselves we have moved past. Meanwhile, Black folk are left behind with the Herculean task of trudging through the toxicity of racism—our reality dismissed, our words lost in the wind, and our bodies once again fodder for those who seek to eradicate us from the earth. From “Wonderful/Wretched Memories of Racial Dynamics in the Twin Cities, Minnesota” by Walter R. Jacobs

We are all shocked and saddened by the tragic events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, over the past few days. As human beings, many of us are overwhelmed by the complexity of the situation and the intense emotions it has created. As members of an institution that strives for social justice, we feel discouraged and outraged. And, as social scientists, we are wondering how our disciplines and our knowledge can contribute to solutions. I have three thoughts about steps we can take.

So began a May 29, 2020, email I sent to the College of Social Sciences at San José State University (SJSU), where I am the dean. The May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and subsequent protests about police brutality and other injustices faced by Black people in the United States—protests both peaceful and violent—have many social scientists wondering, what can I do to help repair the many fractures in American society that seem to be getting worse each day?

The first step, of course, is to educate ourselves about the issues, especially about the history and culture of the place at the epicenter of the most recent conflagration.