Silencing White Noise

Racism is omnipresent in American life, both public and private. We are immersed in what prominent Black church leader Willie Dwayne Francois III calls white noise–the racist speech, ideas, and policies that lull us into inaction on racial justice. White noise masks racial realities and prevents constructive responses to microaggressions, structural inequality, and overt interpersonal racism.

In this book, Francois calls people of all races to take up practices that overcome silence and inaction on race and that advance racial repair. Drawing from his antiracism curriculum, the Public Love Organizing and Training (PLOT) Project, Francois encourages us to move from a “colorblind” stance and mythic innocence to one that takes an honest account of our national history and acknowledges our complicity in racism as a prelude to antiracist interventions.

Weaving together personal narrative, theology, and history, this book invites us to engage 6 “rhythms of reparative intercession.” These are six practices of antiracism that aim to repair harm by speaking up and “acting up” on behalf of others. Silencing White Noise offers concrete ways to help people wrest free from the dangers of racism and to develop lifelong Christian antiracist practices.