Recognizing White Privilege
The Heights (Boston College)
Julia Wilson
November 1, 2007
Peggy McIntosh, senior research scientist and associate director of the Wellesley Centers for Women, visited Boston College to speak at the event “The ‘Invisible Knapsack’ of White Privilege: Continuing the Struggle.” McIntosh, who is the founder and co-director of the national Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) project on Inclusive Curriculum, described white privilege as “a right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others.” She went on to explain the concept of the “knapsack,” which is an invisible collection of unearned assets that white people can count on cashing in each day. While challenging students to identify unearned advantages and disadvantages in their lives, McIntosh also explained her own conditions of white privilege, such as going into any music store and being able to find the music of her race represented. McIntosh left students with a more complex idea of white privilege: when a white person confirms the existence of his or her privilege and other people believe him or her.
The full article is available here.
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