Customer Reviews

Lifting the White Veil: An Exploration of White American Culture in a Multiracial Context

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Lifting the White Veil is a powerful and effective exploration of the dominant "white" culture in the United States. The book carefully explains what the culture is (something that those who participate in it are often at a loss to describe), how it unintentionally excludes many of those whom individuals would probably approve of and relate to, and suggests alternative paths to creating a racially cohesive society. I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to reach out to participate in the many rich cultures that our country provides.

If you are like me, you've wondered what "white culture" studies are all about. Are they a closet attempt to re-establish "white supremacy" beliefs? In Lifting the White Veil, I found out that white culture studies are really about creating a more effective multiracial society that will benefit everyone.

Although I felt like I had a good background in race-based sociology (having taken courses in the subject in both college and graduate school . . . and having been informed by many friends from other cultures about my cultural biases and limitations), I learned a lot . . . and was glad that I did.

What the title refers to is that a dominant culture is usually invisible to those who participate in it, and limits their vision of what is going on around them. All such cultures are constricting though to other contiguous cultures, and we cannot understand those constrictions without understanding more about all cultures . . . including the dominant one.

The author argues for a future in which white culture continues, but is no longer the dominant one that all others must kowtow to. Instead, he hopes that a multiracial culture will develop that will be superior to any existing culture.

Jeff Hitchcock is the co-founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of White American Culture, a multiracial organization. As a self-described "white American," he brings his own experiences to this study . . . which include being married to Ms. Charley Flint, a black feminist sociologist and raising their two children of color. The book's greatest strength for me was that Mr. Hitchcook openly describes the evolution of his own "white" and "multiracial" awarenesses while sharing some of the experiences that his multiracial family has had in the "white" culture.

We are headed to a more multiracial society in the future as the percentage of those who are born from "nonwhite" races grows. It would make a lot of sense to know how to make the most of this experience. My own epiphany on the subject came when I took my sons to a Los Angeles Dodger game some years ago on "Hispanic Day" and found ourselves in the middle of enthusiastic Spanish-speaking fans in the left field bleachers. We had a wonderful time, and found it interesting to be in the minority in a large crowd for the first time in our lives. That epiphany is repeated whenever we are in Hawaii where people of many races live together without any one group being the majority. Most recently I was reminded of my epiphany at my father's funeral where most of his mourners were people from "nonwhite" communities . . . something that would have pleased him.

For those who are not familiar with the history of racial culture in the United States, the book has a good summary description of how our concepts of race have changed over time. The book goes on to describe the latest sociological research and thinking on the subject of how to create a more just and engaged multiracial society.

Be forewarned, however, that the book starts with a "tough love" lesson that will drive off casual readers. The book is much friendlier after that . . . if you don't mind finding out that you don't really have much multiracial experience.

As I finished the book, I came away with a desire to know the other cultures in America much better. I'm sure you will have the same reaction.

I love the way this book calls on white people to celebrate their accomplishments while becoming aware of the way the game is rigged in their favor. The book seems gentle while revealing hard facts of racial life in America. I say it "seems gentle" because, as an African American woman, I can't judge for white people whether something is harsh or not; I can only look at the skill, minute detail and care with which Jeff Hitchcock builds the case and admire the way he takes baby steps toward a monumental conclusion.

I hope many, many people in America read this book, especially white people. I have assigned parts of the book to be read by my class at Northwest Indian College. I think the book sheds light on the backlash we see to the Obama presidency. White guilt runs deep and makes for irrational, sometimes violent, behavior.

I pray that whites will confront their own guilt and deal with it carefully and gently as Hitchcock does so that we can live together as a more peaceful multiracial society.

This book really does lift the white veil for any reading willing to admit that there is one--that the way whitefolks see the world is very filtered by white privilege, the idea that we are at the center. Hitchcock's analysis and insights are strinkingly original, while drawing upon studies and classic texts. He intersperses the analytical writing with real-life stories, some from his own experience, some observed. An important well-written book.

This book is fantastic! Jeff Hitchcock does indeed lift the "white veil" which surrounds many of us each and every day. White privilege is similar to the air that we breathe in that, it is invisible and can be taken for granted. The problem is that the air, or privilege in this case, is not evenly distributed throughout our society and it takes a lot of courage to face up and question the unequal distribution. Jeff Hitchcock has that courage and you see it on every page of this book. He points out the countless areas of our lives where we have a gentle breeze helping to move us along throughout life. A breeze that people from other diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds do not have access to. He also provides a look at some of our history that many of us would prefer to not be associated with. He demonstrates how we all need to play a part in evening out the playing field of oppression if we want things to change. This book is a masterpiece and should be required reading in every high school throughout America.

Typical of books of this type, it refuses to look at the growing non-white racial privledge. At the university setting, every other ethnic groups enjoys classes which explicity support their cultural biases and whitewash their histories. This used to be true of Euroamericans not that long ago, but now "whitewashing" is the province of non-whites. Most great civilzations practiced "supremicist" behaviors for their dominant groups (read older collections of primary documents from east Asia, the Middle East and Egypt sometime--and you will be shocked to see what is left out of the new "multicultural" history books.) Also, anyone non-white can freely use racial slurs and hate crimes are treated far less seriously when non-whites commit them.
The inherent contradiction in such "whiteness" books is that they want to turn white people into just another ethnic group instead of a dominant one which considers itself the norm, yet they abhor any white seperatist or pride groups. If they (white people) are to be reduced to just another ethnic group they should have the same privledges.

This book is a must-read for persons who really want to understand diversity fully. The author makes visible what is usually hidden or misunderstood in conversations about intergroup relations--white culture and its immense impact on individuals and society. I particularly liked the book because it written intelligently (lots of facts, references and insights), but it is not too technical for the everyday reader. This is a gem that should be useful for both individual who are looking for insights into diversity and college students too.