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Whites Recall the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham pp 97–108Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Conclusion

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Part of the book series: Cultural Sociology ((CULTSOC))

Abstract

The book concludes by considering how conscious denial, unconscious repression, and forgetting associated with a new identity work together to promote silence about the past and construct a sanitized community of memory. The refusal to admit that race matters is at the heart of the many conflicts the USA faces today. This chapter ends by suggesting that achieving greater racial justice requires a return to memory. Addressing the racial past on individual and collective levels could open new possibilities for the future. Coming to terms with a painful past requires a community of memory willing to engage in self-reflection and self-criticism.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This film was nominated for the Academy Award for ‘Best Picture’ in 2015.

  2. 2.

    Webb wrote all King’s speeches for the film. DuVernay did not have copyright permission from King’s family to use his actual words.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA

    Sandra K. Gill

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  1. Sandra K. Gill
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Gill, S.K. (2017). Conclusion. In: Whites Recall the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. Cultural Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47136-5_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47136-5_9

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47135-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47136-5

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