“Forgive Us… Black America”

Portrait of a Journey From Racism to Healing

October 17th 2008

“Forgive Us… Black America” – Portrait of a Journey from Racism to Healing  depicts a journey through a portrait, using cultural as the portrait’s theme. The author begins the journey alone, revisiting her childhood, revealing the cultural influences quietly molding her life into one of a racist.

As she talks aloud, we come to realize that she is not alone; we have joined her.

Not long into the journey, it becomes evident that this portrait was never presented for mere passive viewing. It is an interactive portrait in which the fabric of our American culture is brought to life. The first half of the journey leads us through certain remembrances of America’s history of racism and brings us to realize that we are the artists of this portrait. Yet how the landscape is presented causes one to reflect upon how we, society, disregard many of the techniques of our artistic craft… the art form of love… in our cultural relations.

FRONT MATTER

The Forgiveness Mirror

Preface

Introduction (Who Am I?)

PART I

Infant Souls of Clay

1. The Canvass of Hate

2. The Palette of Lies

3. The Colors of Ignorance

4. The Painter’s Race

The author reminds us throughout this journey that this book is not just about racism, but about how racism reveals a deeper dis-ease afflicting our society – that of “social separation and indifference”. We are the ones that have not only caused, but are spreading the many inequities (racism, poverty, homelessness, to name just a few) found in large bodies of our society.

The author states that there is no greater example than racism of how the contagions of social separation, indifference, and even hate are spread from one generation to the next. It is only by denying or ignoring the effects upon those who suffer from them that we can continue to view this socially endemic, treatable dis-ease as “human nature” thus “untreatable”.

Part II of Forgive Us, Black America continues the journey through the portrait of America, embarking upon the road to healing. We re-discover our craft as present-day artists. With brush in hand, we are guided by the hope of laying the foundation for a new road to travel.

PART II

St Francis’ Prayer of Assisi

5. The Art Form of Love

6. The Artwork of Healing

7. The Curator’s of Humanity

In this journey through the healing of racism, we are lead to the spiritual process of forgiveness. At this point, the author hopes that one has begun to envision what she has envisioned in the writing of this book… that of a healthier and more genuinely unified society as One Nation Under God

In the final chapter, The Curators of Humanity we, both black and white Americans, take our place in the American Gallery. It is here that we find ourselves in unique position — one that may surprise us all as we come to the end of our journey through Forgive Us, Black America.

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