Sherry Williams speaks on Black resilience at Martin Luther King Jr. lecture
Graphic by Julia Zawitkowska
Founder and president of the Bronzeville/Black Chicagoan Historical Society, Sherry Williams, gave a lecture about her experiences in a racially and politically polarized world on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Williams discussed social and legal challenges faced by African Americans throughout the history of the United States, such as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Modern political events are, as Williams describes, an “intersection in American society where we can determine the fate of our families, communities, and our nation.”
Williams compared a 1961 federal guideline, which caused many Black families to be separated, to former President Donald Trump’s 2018 family separation policy at the United States-Mexico border.
“Leadership should not have to be convinced or shamed [in order] to hear the voices of the disenfranchised, the oppressed, the poor, or those seeking asylum,” Williams said. “Are we willing and able to move on, or do we walk back to 1968?”
Williams also shared her own experiences as an African American woman growing up in the United States. “Nothing has been easy for me because of this Black skin,” she said. “Disdain, rudeness, ignoring my presence are a few of the ways that prejudice is shelved upon me.”
“I have inherited the very issues that King lost his life for. I am reminded by microaggressions, and just outright racist remarks, how hated we [African Americans] are,” Williams continued.
Social justice action may be taken with honest intent, but can ultimately backfire. “Many felt that removing Aunt Jemima was bringing justice to the Black community and helping to get rid of Black stereotypes,” reflected EU student Mikayla Tomaszewski after the lecture.
“Sherry Williams felt that stripping away history was not an effective solution and didn’t bring justice,” Tomaszewski noted.
Regarding the lecture, history professor Karen Benjamin said, “inviting Ms. Sherry Williams to speak demonstrates that we value the wisdom of community voices and not just those representing prestige, wealth, or political power.”
The lecture was one of multiple EU events celebrating Black History Month.
