When Negro History Week was established by Carter Woodson in 1926, intense systemic racism, income inequality, deeply entrenched segregation, and high levels of violence against Black Americans were all part . Today, in 2026, after decades of progress, we're witnessing a recommitment to systemic racism, income inequality, segregation by race and class are becoming more … Continue reading Black History Month 2026
Black Church Musings
Last weekend I returned to my alma mater, Grinnell College, for Black Alumni Weekend. Yes: Even in the face of attacks on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), higher-ed, and increasingly pervasive anti-Blackness, we still got to celebrate ourselves in public. There is an old adage that where you spend your money reflects your values. … Continue reading Black Church Musings
Finding Hate In Our History
This post has been two years in the making. It has been a tremendous challenge to gather the words to confront this topic: What happens when you find hate in your history? In 2022 and 2024, summer interns encountered anti LGBTQ+ bigotry while researching Black churches in Central Iowa. It was hard to know what … Continue reading Finding Hate In Our History