Modern Day /

Modern Day /

White Guilt

Photo credits

Baldwin, MLK, etc. “The White Problem in America.” Ebony Magazine, 1965, WorthPoint, 2025. Accessed 29 July 2025.https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ebony-magazine-1965-white-problem-3857973962. 

What is White Guilt?

White guilt, originally coined by James Baldwin in his essay “The White Man’s Guilt,” is a term used by psychologists, philosophers, and historians alike to describe the feeling many white people have of bearing the responsibility for the past and present racism, colonialism, and genocide. Baldwin argues that a main cause of modern racism is white people’s plea of being innocent to avoid blame and protect their power. Contemporarily, it is now widely recognized as a feeling of guilt expressed in such a way that takes away from the struggles of the colonized and marginalized and puts the focus on the white person’s feelings of guilt.

Acknowledging White Guilt

Guilt is a normal, understandable feeling. As a white person, it is key to recognize and validate these feelings of guilt, but instead of then bringing these feelings into spaces, take the time to listen to marginalized voices and their experiences. The defining factor of white guilt is using this guilt to make the conversation or topic around yourself; it is not about you as a white person. 

Modern Day People

Ahmaud Arbery

    • 25 year old Black man from Brunswick, Georgia.

    • Was a former high school football player.

    • Went on runs in neighborhood often; regularly in Satilla Shores.

    • Attended South Georgia Technical College during fall 2012 and spring 2013 to train for a career as an electrician.

    • To save money for his father he stopped studying, and began working in his father's car wash and landscaping business.

    • Had plans to continue college but never was able to due to the attack.

    • Arbery was jogging on the left side of the road before encountering a white F-150 parked in the middle of the right lane.

    • Gregory McMichael, and Travis McMichael are in the truck, Travis holding a shotgun.

    • A second car is there too, William Bryan. 

    • Arbery puts up a fight against the three after he is attacked, multiple gunshots occur from point blank range and Arbery is killed.

    • Arbery fought the trio valiantly, but since he was unarmed he was only able to knock them to the ground before getting shot. 

  • Satilla Shores, a neighborhood just outside of Brunswick, in Glynn County, Georgia.

  • February 23, 2020.

    • During Trial, William Bryan claimed that they suspected Ahmaud of burglary.

    • Later disproven and considered an act of racial violence being the main reason.

Jacob Blake

Freddie Gray

George Floyd

Philando Castile

Michael Brown

Breonna Taylor

Eric Garner

    • Jacob Blake is an African American man from Kenosha, Wisconsin.

    • He was 29 years old at the time of the 2020 incident.

    • He is the father of six children.

    • Blake was known to be involved in his children's lives and was visiting one of his sons on the day of the incident.

    • He had previously worked in various jobs, including as a mechanic.

    • Family and friends described him as someone who was trying to turn his life around and be a better father.

    • Jacob Blake got shot in the back and side seven times by a Kenosha police officer, Rusten Sheskey.

    • It was triggered when Blake was walking away from officers and attempting to enter the driver's side of an SUV, where his children were seated.

    • Police were responding to a domestic disturbance call and were attempting to arrest Blake, who had an outstanding warrant.

    • Officers initially tried to use non lethal methods with tasers, which was unsuccessful.

    • Blake was shot seven times, resulting in severe injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

    • The entire thing was on video and quickly went viral, leading to national protests against police brutality.

  • Outside an apartment complex in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

  • August 23, 2020.

    • Racially motivated as the officers were clearly seen as the aggressors in the situation.

    • Charges were filed against Officer Shesky, however in both trials the charges were dismissed and Shesky went unpunished.

    • 25 year old African American man from Baltimore, Maryland.

    • Son of Gloria Darden and had a twin sister, Fredericka Gray, and another sister named Carolina.

    • Diagnosed with ADHD, he had to take special education classes and struggled academically.

    • He played wide receiver in a local youth football league.

    • Gray dropped out of school in the ninth grade and had a history of staying away from school. 

    • He lived in Gilmor Homes and had a criminal record with 18 prior arrests, including drug and assault charges.

    • Freddie Gray made eye contact with a Baltimore police officer and fled on foot before being chased and arrested.

    • The cops said he was in possession of an illegal switch blade of some kind.

    • Gray was handcuffed and later shackled but was not secured with a seatbelt inside the police van.

    • During multiple stops in the van, he suffered multiple severe spinal cord injuries because of being thrown around in the back of the van.

    • Officers ignored his repeated pleas for medical help during the ride.

    • By the time the van arrived at the police station, Gray was unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, where he died on April 19 from spinal injuries.

    • Witnesses reported allegedly seeing the officers beat Gray with nightsticks

  • Driven throughout Baltimore, Maryland, and passed away in R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

  • The incident occurred on April 12, 2015, and he passed away April 19, 2015.

    • The lack of care put into his restraining in the van, and the alleged beating, was due to abuse of power. As three of the six officers involved were African American.

    • Three of the officers were acquitted, and the other three charges were eventually dropped. So none of the officers were convicted and none served jail time for their actions.

    • 27-year-old black man from Fayetteville, North Carolina.

    • Born and lived in poverty

    • Nicknamed ‘Perry’ by friends and family.

    • Wanted to be a Supreme Court Justice as a kid, went into athletics instead.

    • Had a brief stint as a rapper.

    • Police bodycam footage (and recordings from many bystanders’ phones) showed him being choked to death, contrary to the ‘official’ report of ‘medical complications’ as the cause of death.

    • In 2017, he moved to Minneapolis to turn his life around in a state with a better social safety net.

    • He enrolled in a rehabilitation program specifically for black men called Our Turning Point, at the advice of his pastor.

    • He got two jobs, one as a bouncer and another at the Salvation Army.

    • He was killed on May 25, 2020.

    • He was killed after a cashier accused him of paying for cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill, which led to the police being called.

    • Once they arrived, Floyd was detained, and one of the officers, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for a total of 9 minutes, 29 seconds.

    • Floyd said he couldn’t breathe 27 times, but he was ignored by the officers, who allowed Derek to choke him to death despite both onlookers and Floyd telling them to stop.

    • Full name is Philando Divall Castille

    • Born in St. Louis, Missouri

    • Born July 16, 1983

    • Died in a police shooting on July 6, 2016.

    • Philando Castile had been pulled over for a broken brake light, where he (lawfully) informed the policeman that he had a firearm on his person.

    • After this information was granted, the officer made it sound like Castile was reaching for his gun. Castile was not.

    • The officer (named Jeronimo Yenez) proceeded to fire seven times into Philando Castile.

    • He died 20 minutes after at the hospital.

    • He was born in St. Luis, Missouri. He moved to Robbinsdale, Minnesota, to live with his family.

    • He worked as a Nutrition Services Supervisor at J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet School.

    • He was murdered on July 6, 2016, and finally succumbed to his wounds at 9:37, 20 minutes after being shot.

    • He was shot seven times for (lawfully) informing officer Yenez that he had a firearm on his person during an otherwise routine traffic stop for a broken brakelight, to which Yenez shot him seven times after saying that Castile was reaching for his firearm, despite both Philando and his Passenger saying that he was not reaching for his gun and was instead reaching for his ID.

Trayvon Martin

    • 18-year-old boy born on May 20, 1996.

    • Died August 9, 2014.

    • Born in St. Louis County

    • Shot and killed for stealing a pack of cigarettes and forcibly shoving a clerk.

    • Michael lived in St. Louis County for most of his life and was shot outside of a Ferguson Market for stealing a box of Swishers-brand cigarettes with his friend.

    • Eight days after his graduation from Normandy High School on an alternative education program, He was shot outside of Ferguson Market six times by one Officer Darren Dean Wilson.

    • For the crime of pushing someone and stealing a single box of cigarettes, he was shot (at least) six times, dying a total of 90 seconds after his first-ever encounter with Officer Wilson.

    • 26 year old African-American woman

    • Worked as an on-call Emergency Room Technician and First Responder

    • Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan

    • Attended the University of Kentucky

    • Aspired to be a neonatal nurse

    • Had plans to go back to school in the fall of 2020 at Ivy Tech Community College

    • During her high school years, she was an honor roll student

    • Louisiana Metro Police Department forced entry into her home late at night, looking for Breonna’s ex-boyfriend

    • Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, believed the police to be intruders and shot a warning shot, hitting officer Jonathan Mattingly

    • Mattingly and two other officers, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove opened fire

    • It was determined that Myles Cosgrove is the one who fired the shot which killed her

    • Breonna’s apartment in Louisville, Kentucky

    • March 13, 2020

    • Lack of announcement from officers

    • Kelly Goodlett who was, at the time, a detective for the LMPD who wrote the warrant for searching Taylor’s apartment. She later pleaded guilty to lying on the warrant and falsifying a report to cover it up.

    • Use of excessive force from the responding officers

    • 17 year old African-American teenager

    • He played football for years and was one of the best players on the team according to his coach

    • Attended Krop High School as a junior at the time of the shooting

    • Trayvon wanted to fly or repair planes and had spent multiple summers as a part of aviation programs

    • He had hoped to attend University of Miami or Florida A&M University

    • Trayvon was walking back to his fathers fiancee’s house from the convenience store.

    • George Zimmerman, a member of the local community watch saw and reported Trayvon to the police

    • Zimmerman reported that Trayvon was "suspicious" and “probably on drugs”

    • The police told Zimmerman that he didn’t have to follow Trayvon but Zimmerman did anyway.

    • An altercation then occurred where Zimmerman was injured and fired his gun in self-defense, killing Trayvon

    • Sanford, Florida

    • February 26, 2012

    • Zimmerman decided to follow Trayvon which he later justified by stating was looking to further ascertain his location by looking at a street sign

    • A fight broke out between the two and when Zimmerman was injured he shot

    • Trayvon which he claimed to be in self-defense

    • 43 year old African- American man

    • He was a horticulturist for the New York Department of Parks and Recreation before he quit due to health reasons

    • Described as the “neighborhood peacemaker” and a generous, congenial person by friends and family

    • Father of 6, including a then 3 month old. He also had 3 grandchildren

    • On July 17, 2014, police officer, Justin D’Amico, approached Eric Garner after

    • Garner had broken up a fight that bystanders had said happened

    • Officers had accused Garner of illegally selling cigarettes

    • Garner denied this said he was tired of being harassed

    • Officer Daniel Pantaleo, then approached Garner and attempted to arrest him when Garner pulled his hands away and asked not to be touched

    • Pantaleo then put his arm around Garner's neck which led to the two men ending up on the ground

    • After a moment, Pantaleo removed his arm from around Garner's neck and used his hands to push Garner's face into the ground

    • Garner repeated 11 times that he could not breathe

    • A police officer called an ambulance stating that Garner was having difficulty breathing but “did not appear to be in great distress”

    • Garner was lying on the ground, unconscious and handcuffed for several minutes

    • Once the ambulance arrived, they checked his pulse but did little for two minutes before loading him into the ambulance

    • 202 Bay Street, Staten Island, New York

    • July 17, 2014

    • Garner had been arrested multiple times prior to this, many of the charges being that he allegedly, was illegally selling cigarettes

    • Police officers, seemingly unnecessarily, drastically escalating the situation despite Garner not fighting back

    • Lack of action taken by both law enforcement and emergency responders to preserve his life

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”

- Bryan Stevenson

Lily

School - To - Prison Pipeline

  • The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the unsettling phenomena in the education system that authorizes police to “‘stop, frisk, detain, question, search, and arrest schoolchildren on and off school grounds,’” all legal under zero tolerance policies. With police brutality being so prevalent today, it “disproportionately push[es] minority students… out of school and into jails.” Black students are 3.5 times more likely to be suspended or expelled in comparison to their white peers. And, in turn, suspension increases the likelihood of arrest among students, proving a direct link between the two variables (Elias). It also further encourages the “offending” behavior and decreases their likelihood of graduation (Hemez).

  • You can expel and arrest as many kids as you want, but disciplinary problems will still be prevalent in the youth. The issue must be tackled at the root. Instead of prioritizing discipline that excludes students from the classroom, there should be more of an investment on reformative elements (ex., counselors, social workers, mental health professionals) in schools. There also needs to be fewer police officers stationed in schools, as they tend to increase the amount of arrests for minor offenses without “protect[ing] public safety” (Mendel). With these changes, comes a more restorative school environment, as opposed to a punishing one.

  • Elias, Marilyn. “The School-to-prison Pipeline.” Learning for Justice, Southern Poverty Law Center, Spring 2013, https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2013/the-school-to-prison-pipeline.

    Hemez, Paul et al. “Exploring the School-to-Prison Pipeline: How School Suspensions Influence Incarceration During Young Adulthood.” National Library of Medicine, National Library of Medicine, 2020, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8277150.

    Mendel, Richard. “Back-to-School Action Guide: Re-Engaging Students and Closing the School-to-Prison Pipeline.” The Sentencing Project, The Sentencing Project, 31 August 2021, https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/back-to-school-action-guide-re-engaging-students-and-closing-the-school-to-prison-pipeline.

“The school-to-prison pipeline refers to practices and policies that disproportionately place students of color into the criminal justice system. The biased application of harsh disciplinary measures and overuse of referrals to law enforcement contribute to the problem, setting up vulnerable students for failure and ignoring the underlying causes.

How can educators end the school-to-prison pipeline? The first step is considering an alternative approach to school discipline.”

(American University)

The (Knights of the) Ku Klux Klan

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) has existed in several distinct iterations, each with its own specific focus and methods, but all united by an ideology of white supremacy and the use of violence and intimidation

First Klan (Reconstruction Era, 1865-1872):

  • Formed in Pulaski, Tennessee by Confederate veterans, aiming to maintain white supremacy and oppose Reconstruction efforts to grant political and civil rights to African Americans.

  • Used terror tactics like whippings, beatings, burning churches and schools, and murder to intimidate Black people and white Republicans.

  • Initially a decentralized organization, it later attempted to establish a hierarchical structure with Nathan Bedford Forrest as its purported leader.

  • Suppressed by federal intervention, including the Enforcement Acts and the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.

Second Klan (Early 20th Century, 1915-1944):

  • Revived at Stone Mountain, Georgia, inspired by romanticized depictions of the first Klan in films like "Birth of a Nation".

  • Expanded its hateful agenda to include anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic, and anti-union sentiments, according to EBSCO Research Starters.

  • Used cross burnings and mass rallies as public displays of intimidation.

  • Gained widespread membership and political influence, even in the North, during the 1920s.

  • Declined due to scandals, internal conflicts, and federal prosecution, notes the FBI.

Third Klan (Mid-20th Century, 1946-present):

  • Emerged in response to the Civil Rights Movement, continuing the legacy of violence and intimidation against Black people and civil rights activists.

  • Though less organized and with fewer members than the second iteration, it remained a force of terror, responsible for bombings and murders, notes Study.com.

  • Its activities led to renewed federal intervention and prosecution of members

Modern-day KKK continues a lot of the same values and traditions as before, but one thing in particular has been on the rise: online rallies. These online rallies do many things, but two stick out. One of which is that it allows people to participate in these rallies without fear of being spotted or having their identity leaked. It creates a whole new type of anonymity. The other is that before these online rallies, the meetings were confined to the area around the specific branch of the Klan. Now, it has opened a much broader area and people who were unable to attend prior can now. There could be no (recorded/known) branch of the Klan in that state, but someone could still attend meetings. 

  • Just because the Klan is not actively lynching or killing others does not mean that they are not actively spreading hate and are quietly active in their communities. The KKK has undergone some changes in branches as two of the main branches have faded which made way for two new branches to grow from the remnants. Just in 2024 the KKK started movements to gain a foothold in mainstream conversations. One way they do this is by taking things that government officials say and using them to help justify their actions. This being said, the KKK is not the only group that has risen in numbers and become more prevalent.

  • A number of hate groups are on the rise, one commonly known is the Proud Boys. The Proud Boys were first officially founded in 2016 by Gavin McInnes. The Proud Boys are a neo-nazi and white supremacy group that openly supports Trump and in 2020 changed their emblem to include the words “Stand back Stand by” in reference to what Trump said during a 2020 presidential debate. The Proud Boys are a very violent group, two examples are that one of their initiation tasks is to “get into a fight for the cause” and one needs to complete this in order to become a full fledged member of the group. In 2016, then leader, Gavin McInnes, said he was disappointed in Trump supporters for “Not punching enough.”

  • The Proud Boys are also in league with many other hate groups and are “Anti- Immigration, Authoritarianism, Lgbtq Rights, Feminism” and more. But if we talk about hate groups, it's important to talk about the why. There are many reasons as to why people, especially young men, fall into alt-right groups, one obvious one being propaganda but a less thought of one is the lack of community in modern day places. In the past there have always been these 3rd party spaces that people can go to but in 2025, many places are way too expensive to justify going for anything other than a special occasion. Many people, especially teenagers, look for this community and for young men, this community can be especially enticing. They are promised a group that roots for the policies that, arguably, benefit them best.

KKK "now" (contemporary reality)

  • Fragmented and diminished: The Klan today is far weaker than in its earlier iterations, characterized by internal conflicts, legal battles, and government infiltration, notes the Center for American Progress.

  • Shifting tactics: While still holding rallies and engaging in online activism, some groups try to present a more mainstream image, advocating for "white rights" rather than overtly racist rhetoric, according to Magnum Photos.

  • Low membership: Estimates vary, but membership is significantly lower than in previous periods, likely ranging in the low thousands, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

  • Adaptation and Collaboration: Some newer chapters have emerged from the dissolution of older ones, and there are signs of increased collaboration between Klan groups and other white supremacist organizations, notes the Southern Poverty Law Center.

  • Continued Struggle: Despite attempts at revival and adaptation, the Klan faces ongoing challenges including internal divisions and competition from other white supremacist groups,

Lillian’s Reflection on the Current and Past KKK and Modern-Day Hate Groups:

Something I like to do when learning history is compare what happened then to more modern events, and on our trip I couldn’t help but notice a lot of what is happening in our country now that reminded me of what we were learning. One thing that I regularly thought about, especially during my research, was ICE and what was happening regarding deportations.

ICE is a government-funded agency that was founded in 2003 and remained relatively quiet prior to 2024. They legally and humanely deported those who were reportedly actively harming the American people in some way, shape, or form. Recently, especially in California, we've seen a more violent and forceful approach by ICE in order to do their job. There have been reports of them taking people off the street with little to no probable cause and, in some cases, deporting them illegally—and in others, even to the wrong country entirely.

They have also been arresting American citizens who provided proof of their citizenship. There were cases in which, even after winning their cases, immigrants have been kept in custody. They have also been covering their faces and not providing proper identification, which has created a small (but still prevalent) trend of people dressing up as ICE agents in order to kidnap people.

So, why is this happening? I can’t give a 100% foolproof answer, but I can give what I believe the reason is. The current administration has asked for an increase in deportations, which opens up more of a need for more officers. This, along with how ICE—much like the military—offers community and a “third space” for people to meet and interact outside of work, creates a powerful draw. With an increase in jobs and the promise of a community with similar views, it attracts many types of people—some of whom, for the same reasons, may also be involved in hate groups.

Because of that, and the fact that they are being emboldened by the political climate along with those around them, it's no surprise we’ve seen a rise in violent behaviors by ICE. One well-known example of police brutality that was due to hatred and being emboldened and supported by authorities was Bloody Sunday. During the march from Selma to Montgomery, the marchers were met with police. The police proceeded to beat many people and chased them back to their churches.

Due to human nature, it's easy to assume that at least one of the officers was not inherently violent and had reservations. This does not make them any less guilty, and the level of violence was absolutely not necessary. But because of herd mentality, once one person becomes violent, it triggers something in the human brain that signals it’s either win or lose.

“The fight against Israel and its 77-year-long genocide against Palestine reminds me of the Civil Rights Movement. While the black people’s protests were much more effective in putting pressure on our leaders and eventually got resolved, both movements share the same determined energy to end the injustice. Every day, people still talk about Palestine. People still call out our “leaders” who support apartheid, the way black people called out leaders who let white supremacy slide. The spread of media prevalent in the fight for civil rights is also present in the fight for Palestine. Justice was only achieved for black people because people saw the atrocities being committed by the police, supposedly meant to protect them. Millions of videos of starving children, mutilated bodies, and endless bombings are released from Gaza every day to show everyone who they’re letting exercise their “right” to existence. Israel knows that knowledge is a weapon, explaining their constant censorship and manipulation of American media. While the fight isn’t the same, the principle is.”

— Lily