About My Book
Confessions of a Recovering Racist: What White People Must Do to Overcome Racism in America
I wrote this book to join the conversations going on today about dismantling racism in America in both its individual manifestations and its institutional forms. As the title suggests, I use my own experience of freeing myself from my inherited racial biases as a guide for whites to confront the ideology of white superiority that continues to inhabit racism in America. The chapters in this book address the white resistance to discussing race that has to be navigated, the complexity of attitudes about racism that exist among white people, how the whiteness standard functions in society, and the burden that whites have to eradicate racial biases within ourselves and our public policies. The last several chapters provide practical resources that whites can use to liberate themselves from inherited racial biases and to promote racial equity and justice as allies with people of color. The perspective I offer in this book will be personally challenging for many whites and yet the best hope I see for America to achieve the racial equity and justice we all claim we want.
Paperback edition is available on Amazon or Ingram Spark for $13.99 or on e-Books for $3.00
Book Reviews
“A White Pastor Examines Racism from the Perspective of Whiteness”
Reviewed by Rev. Stephen McCutchan
This is a powerful and useful book for any White person who is willing to explore both the historic and personal role of racism in our life and society. Snead begins with a powerful articulation of what he has learned about racism in his own life. He explores racism both from the perspective of personal bias and the systemic forms of racism that shape our whole culture. He then proceeds to articulate the comprehensive nature of racism with an excellent reference to some of the more articulate books that examine the nature of racism in our society and our lives. All through the book, Snead seeks not only to describe the nature of racism but what White people can do in building an anti-racism approach. Here is a book by a White man who came out of a racist heritage, had the courage to confess his own racism, and invite others to join the anti-racist journey that can prove critical to the future of our society.
Written by a Presbyterian pastor who refused to be paralyzed by guilt or deny the essential tenets of his faith. He doesn’t stop with confessing his own racist nature but seeks to discover how people of faith can be strengthened to rewrite the story of the sin of racism and rediscover the powerful vision of the healing hope God can offer humanity.
Buy the book, share it with others, and discover the possibilities of hope and healing that can become an authentic expression of Good News.
“Excellent Book”
Reviewed by Judi Frinstein
This very personal story of one man’s journey to overcome his racist childhood is well written and informative. I highly recommend it.