Questions for Discussion & Writing
1. According to Wise, what is white denial? How is it prevalent in our society today?
2. Do you believe racial discrimination is a significant national problem? Why or why not?
3. How are minority groups compared – and positioned in relation – to the dominant white group?
Be sure to give examples other than those from Wise’s lecture.
4. What are your thoughts on Black History Month? Should there also be months dedicated to other
minority groups? How about a White History Month? Why or why not?
5. How does racism affect both minority and dominant groups? Do you think that believing racism
only affects the underprivileged is a form of white denial? Explain.
Assignments
1. Tim Wise’s lecture on white privilege was given in 2007. Research the latest poll data on how
Americans view race and racism. Write a paper comparing your research to the history of white
denial Wise discusses.
2. Research the American physician Samuel Cartwright, and write a paper on his scientific
contributions to society. To watch a satirical commercial for the fictional “Cartwright Institute
for Freedom Illnesses,” download this clip from the 2004 film CSA: The Confederate States of
America: http://mefwordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/Cartwright_Institute.zip
3. Research the origins of Black History Month. How has it evolved over the years since its
inception? What was the theme of the most recent Black History Month? What is the
significance of that theme?
4. Read Wise’s book Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of
Obama. According to Wise, how did the election of President Barack Obama feed the culture of
white denial?
