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Brown Faces, White Spaces: Confronting Systemic Racism to Bring Healing and Restoration Hardcover – May 21, 2024

by Latasha Morrison (Author), Dr. Anita Phillips (Afterword), Eugene Cho (Foreword)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 57 ratings
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The New York Times bestselling author of Be the Bridge calls people of faith to be a part of lasting change and help heal the racial disparity in our country—together.

“A journey that encourages us to love our neighbors in real time as we understand the history that has shaped us.”—Terence Lester, PhD, founder of Love Beyond Walls

We might think of systemic racism as an unfortunate part of American history, something that happened back in the day. But the systems were never truly dismantled in our country, leaving artifacts of injustice that continue to affect every aspect of life for Black and Brown Americans.
 
Many of us feel overwhelmed by the problem, unsure how we can make a difference. Yet God calls the church to stand firmly committed to racial reconciliation—and for each one of us to make choices that lead to healing.
 
In Brown Faces, White Spaces, Latasha Morrison—a speaker, bridge builder, and champion for unity—explores nine aspects of American life where systemic racism still flourishes, including education, healthcare, the justice system, entertainment, and the church. Through story, historical context, and present realities, Morrison looks at what it means to recognize and confess the truth about inequities in the system (preparation), commit ourselves to changing the system (dedication), and move into true freedom as a society (liberation). 
 
Drawing on rich sociological insights, as well as experiences of family and friends and from her own life, Morrison asks: How does knowing our country’s history make a difference in how we live today? How does Jesus’s divine act of reconciliation on the cross lead to human liberation from oppression? How might we create systems for all to flourish?
 
This honest, hope-filled book shows us how we can reform historically white spaces and create systems that work for the good of all. Join the bridge-building movement that is listening, learning, and working together for equity in every aspect of our lives.

Includes questions for personal reflection and group discussion.
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  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    WaterBrook
  4. Publication date
    May 21, 2024
  5. Dimensions
    5.7 x 0.95 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0593444825
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0593444825
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
57 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a helpful and practical resource. They appreciate the balance of stories and facts, saying each chapter tells important historical background. Readers also praise the language as clear, well-narrated, and authoritative. Additionally, they say the book is based on Christian principles and is a must-read for all Christians.

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ReadabilityStorytellingLanguageChristianity
9 customers mention "Readability"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written, empowering, and practical. They say it's amazing and has much black history on each page.

"This is such a helpful, humanizing survey of the impact of racism on different spaces of society (education, healthcare, property ownership, etc)...." Read more

"...It’s painful and it’s hard. But it’s a necessary read...." Read more

"This book was super helpful to having a fuller understanding of how inequality continues to show up in systems in our country and actual stories of..." Read more

"This book is amazing! So much black history on each page. It made me so upset with things I never knew...." Read more

9 customers mention "Storytelling"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book filled with a balance of stories and facts. They say each chapter tells important historical background to help them understand their current context. Readers also appreciate the humanizing narratives of how people are still impacted.

"...Each chapter tells important historical background to help us understand our current context, and humanizing narratives of how people are still..." Read more

"...Morrison’s latest book, BROWN FACES WHITE SPACES, she uses her amazing gift of storytelling through both lived experience and historical references..." Read more

"...With the nine American systems she addressed, Latasha provided historical information, personal stories, and ways to bring about healing...." Read more

"...A survey book like this, which is filled with a balance of stories and facts, will give a jumping off point for groups to have a discussion, and..." Read more

7 customers mention "Language"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-narrated, honest, and well-written. They say the author speaks with authority and compassion. Readers also mention the book is a helpful, humanizing survey of the impact of racism.

"This is such a helpful, humanizing survey of the impact of racism on different spaces of society (education, healthcare, property ownership, etc)...." Read more

"...It is a well written, empowering and helpful resource to read and revisit as you wrestle with these issues...." Read more

"...She has the ability to speak to different audiences and invite people into a better way forward together...." Read more

"...launch where she read a portion of the book and it was clear and well narrated. But the editing was mediocre...." Read more

4 customers mention "Christianity"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful, empowering, and helpful. They say it's a must-read for all Christians and transformational.

"...It is a well written, empowering and helpful resource to read and revisit as you wrestle with these issues...." Read more

"...❤️. Its a book filled with history, personal experiences & scripture...." Read more

"Incredible!!! A must read for all Christians!..." Read more

"Transformational!!..." Read more

Preparation, Dedication, and Liberation
5 out of 5 stars
Preparation, Dedication, and Liberation
Through every chapter of Ms. Morrison’s latest book, BROWN FACES WHITE SPACES, she uses her amazing gift of storytelling through both lived experience and historical references to educate and inspire.I’m not going to sugarcoat it - this book is a challenging read. There were historical references I was aware of, but many more that I hadn’t known about before. My highlighter went dry, many times I had to just get up and walk around to take a break. It’s painful and it’s hard. But it’s a necessary read. Denying our nation’s problematic history only keeps us in an endless loop of repeating mistakes.From the forward by Eugene Cho to the afterward by Dr. Anita Phillips, read it through. We can do better. Reconciliation is a possibility.
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Top reviews from the United States

Nate Collins
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2024
Verified Purchase
This is such a helpful, humanizing survey of the impact of racism on different spaces of society (education, healthcare, property ownership, etc). Each chapter tells important historical background to help us understand our current context, and humanizing narratives of how people are still impacted in the here and now. Throughout, Latasha grounds readers in Scripture and the hope and love of God to invite us all to participate in the task of overcoming the disparities still at play in our communities. Whether you have been learning for years or just getting started, this is such a helpful resource!
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Mariann Strozier
5.0 out of 5 stars Preparation, Dedication, and Liberation
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Through every chapter of Ms. Morrison’s latest book, BROWN FACES WHITE SPACES, she uses her amazing gift of storytelling through both lived experience and historical references to educate and inspire.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it - this book is a challenging read. There were historical references I was aware of, but many more that I hadn’t known about before. My highlighter went dry, many times I had to just get up and walk around to take a break. It’s painful and it’s hard. But it’s a necessary read. Denying our nation’s problematic history only keeps us in an endless loop of repeating mistakes.
From the forward by Eugene Cho to the afterward by Dr. Anita Phillips, read it through. We can do better. Reconciliation is a possibility.
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Mariann Strozier
5.0 out of 5 stars Preparation, Dedication, and Liberation
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024
Through every chapter of Ms. Morrison’s latest book, BROWN FACES WHITE SPACES, she uses her amazing gift of storytelling through both lived experience and historical references to educate and inspire.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it - this book is a challenging read. There were historical references I was aware of, but many more that I hadn’t known about before. My highlighter went dry, many times I had to just get up and walk around to take a break. It’s painful and it’s hard. But it’s a necessary read. Denying our nation’s problematic history only keeps us in an endless loop of repeating mistakes.
From the forward by Eugene Cho to the afterward by Dr. Anita Phillips, read it through. We can do better. Reconciliation is a possibility.
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One person found this helpful
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Brooke Erin Stout
5.0 out of 5 stars Empowering!
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2024
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This book was super helpful to having a fuller understanding of how inequality continues to show up in systems in our country and actual stories of people working to change systems right where they are at. This is a great resource too if you have people in your family or community who are struggling to understand how racism shows up beyond personal prejudices or think bringing up these inequalities is the problem. It is a well written, empowering and helpful resource to read and revisit as you wrestle with these issues. And if you haven’t yet, you will discover your own role and piece to play in building something much better that honors everyone’s sacred humanity.
One person found this helpful
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S. Connatser
5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Mix of Current Stories and Research, Lament and Hope
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2024
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I greatly appreciate Latasha's voice in this current cultural moment. She has the ability to speak to different audiences and invite people into a better way forward together. It is evident lots of research went into this work (there are pages and pages of notes to back it up!). With the nine American systems she addressed, Latasha provided historical information, personal stories, and ways to bring about healing. This was a reminder that there is much to lament, but there is much to be hopeful about.

If you appreciate other voices that are committed to telling the truth and also do so while holding onto hope like Jemar Tisby, Sharon McMahon, Esau McCaulley, and Kaitlyn Scheiss, this book is for you.
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S. Connatser
5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Mix of Current Stories and Research, Lament and Hope
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2024
I greatly appreciate Latasha's voice in this current cultural moment. She has the ability to speak to different audiences and invite people into a better way forward together. It is evident lots of research went into this work (there are pages and pages of notes to back it up!). With the nine American systems she addressed, Latasha provided historical information, personal stories, and ways to bring about healing. This was a reminder that there is much to lament, but there is much to be hopeful about.

If you appreciate other voices that are committed to telling the truth and also do so while holding onto hope like Jemar Tisby, Sharon McMahon, Esau McCaulley, and Kaitlyn Scheiss, this book is for you.
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Adam Shields
4.0 out of 5 stars Would make a good book for group discussion
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2024
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Slightly longer summary: A survey of systems which perpetuate disparity, inequity or racism in various areas of society.

One of the aspects that is most frustrating to me within the church is the controversy that is liberation. Some people and parts of the church do not believe that liberation is a significant theme of what the church should be doing. There are various reasons for that. Some believe that liberation will only occur at the second coming of Christ, and some of those believe that working toward liberation will actually prolong Christ’s return. Some do not believe that the church’s work should involve physical realities and that the only liberation that should occur is spiritual liberation. So, it is not surprising that Latasha Morrison opens with a chapter on liberation, grounding the book in her survey of the themes of liberation found throughout the Bible. But honestly, the chapter just made me mad. I was angry not at what she said, but that she has to actually argue that liberation is something that the church should be involved in. This is such a central theme to both scripture and historic Christian theology that no book should need to make the case that liberation is something that we need to do.

The rest of the book is framed around nine areas of society where liberation needs to occur. She sets up a simple framework of Preparation, Dedication, and Liberation. Preparation is learning about and gaining an understanding of society’s problems so that we can correctly address them. Dedication is the steps that we take to address those issues while girding ourselves for long-term efforts. And that is done with the goal of liberation for all people. Morrison is addressing these areas because they are areas that have been traditionally seen as “White Spaces” and they have a legacy of systemic inequality or discrimination.

This framing reminds me of Kevin Kruse’s book White Flight, which is about the history of White Flight in Atlanta. One of the main points that Kruse makes in the book is that a segregated spaces (parks, schools, transportation, etc.) were seen by White people as white spaces prior to desegregation. But after integration, due to their cultural belief in white racial hierarchy, the spaces did not become shared spaces where all people had equal access, but as Black spaces where White people were no longer given priority. Kruse’s thesis is that this view of public space is a significant impetus for the rise of political libertarianism and decreased investment in public goods. If public spaces no longer privileged White use, and White people did not “feel comfortable” in shared spaces, and White people began to use private spaces that were economically or geographically segregated as a proxy for racial segregation, then White people would stop supporting the use of tax funds on shared public goods that they had previously supported. Michelle McGhee has a similar approach in her book Sum of Us, where she tries to get White people to see that racial equity is not a zero-sum game.

The book opens with a history of educational segregation and the long-term impacts of that segregation, as well as the ways that disparity continues to exist within education. This is an area where I have both professional backgrounds (I am a program evaluator for an after-school program primarily working with minority students) and I have a personal connection to education with my wife as a teacher and my mother-in-law was a principal in the district where my children attend elementary school. My wife and I intentionally enrolled our children in the school where she works because it is a school with a high minority population. The school is 90% racial minorities (mostly Black or Hispanic) and 70% low-income. A half mile from the school is another elementary school in the same district, which is 11% Black or Hispanic and 7% low-income. There are many historical and zoning reasons for the disparity. Still, it would be entirely possible to redesign the school boundaries so that both schools were equitable in income and racial diversity. But the divide remains. The school board itself is split between four White board members and three Black board members, although the student population has been predominately minority for over a decade. The racial acrimony on the board (race is a proxy for a political party) triggered an accreditation review with recommendations to be performed. Late last year, a judge threw out the district map for board members as an ille.gal gerrymander designed to maintain a White majority on the board.

The school my kids will go to for high school if they continue progressing with the students they go to school with now was opened in 1965, the year the district integrated. It was named for a Confederate general. In 2020, right before the election, the school board agreed to form a commission to review the naming of that high school and other schools in the district. After the election (where a predominately White and GOP board member was maintained), the school board dissolved the commission before its first meeting. When my wife and I were looking for a house, we looked at an open house where the seller’s realtor toured us around the home. But he suggested that he take us to other homes in the area because the elementary school where that home was zone had a high rate of minority and immigrant children, and he didn’t think that the school was very good. (My mother-in-law was the principal of that elementary school at the time, and it was one of the best in the district.) Most of the issues discussed in the chapter on education in Brown Faces White Spaces have local examples within my school district.

Other issues that are addressed are medical inequity, the criminal justice system and policing, minority double consciousness as a result of workplace discrimination and business practices, the military as an integrated and segregated space, land ownership, Black appropriation within entertainment and the interaction of sports and protest. All of these are handled well and with a focus not just on revealing that racial disparity exists, but asking the reader to reflect on how the status quo systems maintain inequity even if it is not always a desired outcome.

One of the editorial decisions that some will disagree with is the widespread use of both Brown and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) to mean all racial minorities in the US. There are a number of Black people in the US that have spoken out again BIPOC as a blanket term for all racial minorities when what is meant is Black. The lack of specificity is what is usually objected to, but in this case she is using BIPOC inclusively, not as a way to not say Black. Similarly, there is history of the use of the term Brown to be inclusive, but there is some objection to the term. Morrison is particularly trying to be inclusive in her use of Brown and BIPOC, but there will be some complaints about that choice.

And conservatives that object to racial issues will still object to any discussion of the systemic nature of racism even as she gives many examples of their systemic nature. Georgia and a few other states have passed laws banning the teaching of systemic racism in public schools. The objection is that all discussion of systemic racism is rooted in Marxism and critical theory. Any who say that are ignoring the long history of objections to racial categories and hierarchy from the Black and Indigenous Christian communities that predated Marx. But those objections will continue because they are not rooted in getting to the truth but was a means of dismissing racial concerns.

I think this survey is a good next book for Morrison because her focus is education and one of the weaknesses of the Be The Bridge model is that it can be reduced to White consumption for pain for the purpose of education. I don’t think that is the intent, but White ignorance of racial issues and resistance to the idea that White people can be ignorant of racial issues often means that White skepticism asks for more and more trauma to be reveals as proof of the problem. This is what Esau McCaulley is addressing in his How Far to the Promised Land when he shares the story about being asked, “What is the most racist thing you have ever experienced” at a panel discussion.

A survey book like this, which is filled with a balance of stories and facts, will give a jumping off point for groups to have a discussion, and relate personal experiences, while not requiring members of the group to reveal their own pain and trauma, which they may not be ready to reveal to a group that has not yet proven itself safe.

I mostly listened to this as an audiobook. I am familiar with Latasha Morrison’s voice from her podcast and hearing her in person a couple of times at events where she spoke. I know her voice and know he capabilities as a speaker. The editing and engineering of the audiobook were not up to the quality that I would normally expect. The audiobook is not so bad that I would not recommend it. But it is choppy the editing is not great. There are portions that should be re-recorded and re-edited and my guess is that the deadlines did not allow enough time to do it right. I know Morrison is a good speaker and I even went to a book launch where she read a portion of the book and it was clear and well narrated. But the editing was mediocre. Again, I don’t think this is a matter of her skill, this is a matter of either editing or a compressed schedule. I hope that the audiobook is re-edited to make it better. That being said, I did listen to almost all of the book on audiobook and it is certainly not the worst audiobooks I have listened to, there are a number that I stopped listening to because they were so bad. This is a case where I think it should have been better and I am disappointed that it wasn’t better because I think it is important that authors read their own content as much as possible.

I have read widely on racial issues, both historic and current. Many of the chapters included details I was familiar with and in a number of cases I have read multiple books on a subjects that was covered here in a chapter. There always will be editorial choices about what to include or not include and how much data to present versus how much story to tell. Brown Faces, White Spaces framed these discussion with nuance and skill, including a significant level of detail, while not getting bogged down for readers who have less background. There are questions at the end of each chapter as well as footnotes and suggested readings for those that do want more details.
4 people found this helpful
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Allie McLaughlin
5.0 out of 5 stars moving and practical
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2024
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LaTasha walks you through 10 systems and how racism is woven into them. You’ll walk away with a new understanding of history and how you can be a part of working towards a better future.
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Goshen Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book based on Christian principles. Honest History, Examines Racist Systems,
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
The book Brown Faces White Spaces, arrived two days late. In the meantime I started listening to it on Audible while completing my evening walk. What a treat to hear Latasha Morrison read her book. ❤️. Its a book filled with history, personal experiences & scripture. I believe that this book honors our past generations & also directs us to the present struggle as we pursue a future with unveiled truth & integrity.
Support BIOPOC authors, creative, artists & creative. Purchase more than one copy, then listen on on Audible as you read along- this will really bring the book alive.
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Goshen Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book based on Christian principles. Honest History, Examines Racist Systems,
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024
The book Brown Faces White Spaces, arrived two days late. In the meantime I started listening to it on Audible while completing my evening walk. What a treat to hear Latasha Morrison read her book. ❤️. Its a book filled with history, personal experiences & scripture. I believe that this book honors our past generations & also directs us to the present struggle as we pursue a future with unveiled truth & integrity.
Support BIOPOC authors, creative, artists & creative. Purchase more than one copy, then listen on on Audible as you read along- this will really bring the book alive.
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One person found this helpful
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ck
5.0 out of 5 stars True black history
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book is amazing! So much black history on each page. It made me so upset with things I never knew. Then there were times I was so excited to read about our true American history. LaTasha has done an awesome job writing this book. Thanks for giving us our true American history!!!!
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ck
5.0 out of 5 stars True black history
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2024
This book is amazing! So much black history on each page. It made me so upset with things I never knew. Then there were times I was so excited to read about our true American history. LaTasha has done an awesome job writing this book. Thanks for giving us our true American history!!!!
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Top reviews from other countries

HJB
5.0 out of 5 stars Gracious, honest, thought-provoking, much needed!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
I really appreciate Latasha's honesty, which is delivered graciously and in the spirit of creating lasting positive change. Highly recommend this book!
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