Statements of Solidarity from RAAC and SCLA

Statement of Solidarity
Submitted by
Gerald B. Moore, Chair, Roundtable for African-American Concerns, SCLA

June 8, 2020

The Roundtable for African-American Concerns (RAAC) of South Carolina Library Association (SCLA) stands in solidarity with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) in condemning violence and racism towards Black people and all people of color. Like BCALA with whom we stand, RAAC seeks to dismantle oppressive systems that continue to deny equal access, equal rights, and deter the advancement and uplifting of our African-American community. The recent killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Dominique Clayton are the latest in a long, treacherous history of violence against African-Americans in the United States.

As we reflect on this history while in the midst of peaceful protests and uprisings occurring across the nation, we are committed to using our platform to help library workers, library users, and the members of the communities we serve to eradicate racism and its offspring of injustice.

Racism is dehumanizing to everyone it touches. Beyond the actions of individuals, racism is embedded in the very fabric of our society.

We must use diversity, inclusion, and acceptance as the guiding principles in the fight to end acts of prejudice, racial bias, threats of violence, and even blatant killing based solely on a person’s race or ethnicity.

RAAC urges the Executive Board of SCLA and SCLA members to join them in condemning the systemic and systematic oppression of Black people and people of color. We stand with everyone who is actively fighting against repressive systems and we offer our support to those organizing proactive ways to combat racism.

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Statement from the SCLA Executive Committee

June 11, 2020

The SCLA Executive Committee stands in full support of the statements put forth by the Roundtable for African American Concerns and the BCALA, and unequivocally joins them in “condemning the systemic and systematic oppression of Black people and people of color.”

Additionally, our profession and association have a responsibility to not only acknowledge the prejudices and racial biases in our own institutions, but to actively work to overthrow them. Racism and racist policies imbued the very start of libraries in America, and while it is convenient to think that the mere passage of time has eliminated it, the events of the past few weeks show that to not be true. If we are being honest with ourselves, it has persisted because we simply tried to ignore it. White supremacy and anti-Black state-sanctioned violence are alive and well all around the world.

We urge you to join us in condemning systemic and systematic injustice endured by Black people and people of color, and to actively work to promote a culture of anti-racism at home, at work, and in every aspect of our lives. Moreover, we urge you to tell us what you are going to do about it, and what we can do about it together. This is only where we begin.

Statement from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association: https://www.bcala.org/statement-condemning-increased-violence-and-racism-towards-black-americans-and-people-of-color

 

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