The talk (racism in the United States)

The talk is a colloquial expression for a conversation some Black parents in the United States feel compelled to have with their children and teenagers about the dangers they face due to racism or unjust treatment from authority figures, law enforcement or other parties, and how to de-escalate them. The practice dates back generations and is often a rite of passage for Black children.

This article is about parental warnings for Black children. For parental sex education known as "the talk", see The birds and the bees.
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History

Black youth in the United States have "always been warned" about dealing with authority figures safely and instructed by their parents or other caregivers on the dangers they face due to racism.[1][2][3] Variations of the talk have been conducted in Black families for decades[4] or generations;[2][5] the practice "dates back to slavery and has lasted centuries".[1]

Utne Reader called the talk "a rite of passage" for Black children.[6] Judy Belk, writing in the Los Angeles Times, called the talk "an unfair but necessary burden we carry in the Black community, one we reluctantly pass down" and "a painful ritual."[7]

In 2020, during and after the George Floyd protests, some Black commentators called for white parents to have a similar talk with their children on how to behave when they witness racist behavior and how to be anti-racist.[8] Later that year, during the final 2020 United States presidential debate, moderator Kristen Welker asked both candidates to express their opinions on the talk.[9][10]

Content

The conversation often focuses on how to de-escalate encounters with police[6][7] especially given the high frequency of Black men being pulled over for minor, insignificant or non-existent issues, also referred to as driving while Black. Sometimes the talk addresses encounters with white supremacists or vigilantes.[1][11]

The "talk" has been described as an example of preparation for bias in racial-ethnic socialization[12] and typically addresses specific advice in dealing with interactions with law enforcement. Brooks et al. (2016) described the type of advice for those confronted by law enforcement while driving:

  • Pulling over your vehicle right away
  • Keeping hands visible on the steering wheel and not making sudden moves
  • Not reaching for items in your wallet or glove compartment, without informing the law enforcement officer first
  • Being as polite as possible, using "Yes sir, officer"
  • Not arguing, even if you are right

The perception of a need for these behaviours has been described as racialized legal cynicism.[12]

According to PBS, the talks usually include instructions such as:

If you are stopped by the police: Always answer 'yes sir, no sir'; never talk back; don’t make any sudden movements; don’t put your hands in your pockets; obey all commands; if you think you are falsely accused, save it for the police station. I would rather pick you up at the station than the morgue…"

— The Talk: Race in America[13]

According to Vox, for Black people in the United States, "a typical police stop turning into a violent encounter is a very real, terrifying possibility."[5]

Depiction

The New York Times made a short documentary in 2015 featuring the experiences of Black Americans in having this conversation with their children and their memories of their own parents' conversations with them.[14] A 2016 episode of Black-ish featured three generations of a Black family watching television as a verdict in a police brutality case was announced; ABC rebroadcast it June 2, 2020, in response to the Floyd killing and protests.[15] PBS created a two-hour documentary, The Talk: Race in America, in 2017.[13] Procter & Gamble produced a commercial called "The Talk" in 2017.[16] A 2018 episode of Grey's Anatomy included a Black couple having the talk with their son.[17] In 2019, PBS station WFYI, the SALT Project, Trinity United Church of Christ and Christian Theological Seminary partnered to develop a short video for young Black men called "Get Home Safely: 10 Rules of Survival".[18] On August 4, 2020, British TV channel Channel 4 aired a documentary featuring the experiences of Black Britons in having this conversation with their parents. Stars who contributed included Rochelle Humes, Tinie Tempah and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.[19]

A 2018 book for 4-to-8-year-olds, ''Something happened in our town,' recommended having the first talk prior to preschool and another when they start venturing independently into public space.[20][21]

See also

References
  1. Wright, Bruce C. T. (July 29, 2019). "The One Story: The Evolving Relevance Of 'The Talk'". NewsOne. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  2. Blake, John (May 29, 2020). "George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What can black parents possibly tell their kids now about staying safe?". CNN. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  3. LaMotte, Sandee. "How to talk to your children about protests and racism". CNN.
  4. Bouchard, Kelley (July 17, 2016). "African-American parents say 'The Talk' is a life-and-death matter". Press Herald. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  5. Lopez, German (August 8, 2016). "Black parents describe "The Talk" they give to their children about police". Vox. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  6. Plourde, Arienne Thompson; Thompson, Amelia; Magazine, from Notre Dame (2017). "The Talk: Surviving Police Encounters While Black – Community – Utne Reader". Utne. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  7. Belk, Judy (November 3, 2019). "Opinion: As a black parent, I need to update 'the talk' I have with my kids about police". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  8. McDonald, Autumn (June 15, 2020). "Black Parents Know "the Talk" Too Well. It's White Parents' Turn". Slate Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  9. Marty Johnson (October 22, 2020). "Welker raises question about 'the talk' during final debate". The Hill. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  10. Maggie Astor (October 22, 2020). "Addressing systemic racism, Kristen Walker asks the candidates about 'The Talk'". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  11. Bunn, Curtis (May 19, 2020). "After Arbery shooting, black parents are rethinking 'the talk' with sons to explain white vigilantes". NBC News. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  12. Unnever, James D.; Gabbidon, Shaun L.; Chouhy, Cecilia (October 26, 2018). Building a Black Criminology, Volume 24: Race, Theory, and Crime. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-75744-0.
  13. "The Talk Archives". The Talk | Race in America. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  14. "Opinion | A Conversation With My Black Son". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  15. Ryan, Patrick (June 2, 2020). "During George Floyd protests, ABC reruns 2016 'Black-ish' episode exploring race, police brutality". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  16. Bell, Gabriel (July 25, 2017). "Moving ad captures "The Talk" every black parent has with their kids". Salon. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  17. Willis, Kiersten (January 27, 2018). "Grey's Anatomy Takes a Hard Look At 'The Talk' Black Parents Have to Give Their Sons About Police Brutality". Atlanta Black Star. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  18. "10 Rules of Survival if Stopped by the Police | Talk Back | PBS". 10 Rules of Survival if Stopped by the Police | Talk Back | PBS. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  19. Lockstone, Mark (July 29, 2020). "The Talk: Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Rochelle and Marvin Humes and more for Channel 4 racism documentary". TellyMix. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  20. "Having 'The Talk': Expert Guidance On Preparing Kids For Police Interactions". NPR.org. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  21. Celano, Marianne; Collins, Marietta; Hazzard, Ann (2018). Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story about Racial Injustice. Magination Press. ISBN 978-1-4338-2854-6.
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