A Pivotal Time in History
Dear Brooklyn College Community,
We are witnessing a pivotal time in our history. People across the country—and around the world—have come together to call for justice in response to the police killing of George Floyd. There is widespread dialog about the origins of structural racism in this country and the proper role of police in a just society. I am proud that Brooklyn College faculty have been at the forefront of this national conversation.
Professor of Sociology Alex Vitale is helping to shape the conversation. His 2017 book, The End of Policing, argues that we should no longer task police with responding to the myriad problems caused by social inequality. He is now working with the Black Lives Matter movement to create safer and more just communities. He wrote an op-ed recently for The Guardian and he has been interviewed about his scholarly research by Christiane Amanpour as well as NPR and The Nation. Last night, he was a featured guest on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
Professor of English Rosamond King presented a reading of "Eating the Dead" by poet Kamau Brathwaite in response to the police killing of Breonna Taylor. The Academy of American Poets published Professor King's own powerful poem, "Breathe. As in. (shadow)," originally written in response to the police killing of Eric Garner. As director of the Wolfe Institute for the Humanities, Professor King has announced a new series for the coming year, entitled "Black Lives: Research & Action," which encourages every academic department to bring at least one black speaker to the college in the fall.
Distinguished Professor of Political Science Jeanne Theoharis is helping us understand the Black Lives Matter protests in light of the civil rights movement in this country. Her 2018 book, A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History, is highlighted on many of the current must-read antiracism book lists, including those by Publishers Weekly and Ms. She wrote an article for the African American History Society entitled, "Using MLK to Quell Outrage Distorts His Legacy." Her scholarly research is also the focus of recent analysis in The Washington Post and NBC News.
Many of our faculty are also refining their syllabi for the coming year to enrich their classes with relevant readings related to this moment in history. Our faculty will continue to use their classes and lend their expertise to support the development of a society based on fairness and equality.
Yours truly,
Michelle J. Anderson
President, Brooklyn College
