Conversations about race in Black and White US families: Before and after George Floyd’s death

Abstract

Research has shown that Black parents are more likely than White parents to have conversations about race with their children, but few studies have directly compared the frequency and content of these conversations and how they change in response to national events. Here we examine such conversations in the United States before and after the killing of George Floyd. Black parents had conversations more often than White parents, and they had more frequent conversations post-Floyd. White parents remained mostly unchanged and, if anything, were less likely to talk about being White and more likely to send colorblind messages. Black parents were also more worried than White parents—both that their children would experience racial bias and that their children would perpetrate racial bias, a finding that held both pre- and post-Floyd. Thus, even in the midst of a national moment on race, White parents remained relatively silent and unconcerned about the topic.

Believing that prejudice can change increases children's interest in interracial interactions

“…Finally, it is noteworthy that these data were collected over 10 years ago and recent events (e.g., the murder of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement) have amplified the broader cultural dialogue surrounding race and prejudice (Rogers et al, 2021;Sullivan et al, 2021). To the extent that these events have elevated concerns about being victimized by, or perpetrating, prejudice, this research is perhaps more applicable and relevant today than when the data were originally collected.…”

Studying Ethnic‐Racial Identity among White Youth: White Supremacy as a Developmental Context

“…Among BIPOC youth, messages specifically in relation to ethnicity and race have long been examined within the paradigm of ethnic-racial socialization (Priest et al, 2014). Fewer researchers have studied the parallel messaging white youth receive (or do not receive), although research in this area is increasing (Hagerman, 2018;Hughes et al, 2008;Loyd & Gaither, 2018;Perry, 2002;Perry et al, 2019;Sullivan et al, 2021). A recent study (Ferguson et al, 2021) examined parental white racial socialization through the lens of the WRID model, finding that white mothers who espoused perspectives aligned with Phase 2 schemas were more likely to engage in race-conscious parenting, whereas white mothers situated in Phase 1 schemas (who represented the majority of the sample) tended to engage racial colorblindness or remain silent on race-related topics with their children.…”

An Observational Approach to Examining White Parents’ Racial Socialization Practices With Adolescent Youth

“…When White parents in our study did engage in RS, they often relayed color-blind racial messages or minimized racism as a "non-issue." Although such messages may be well-intended, they minimize White privilege and racial inequities and communicate to youth that they should not notice race (i.e., color-blind RS) or talk about race (i.e., color-mute socialization) Sullivan et al, 2021;Vittrup, 2016). It is unlikely that White youth who receive such messages will develop the knowledge, skills, and motivation to identify and challenge racism and racial inequalities.…”