Fueled by the killings of Philando Castile in 2016 and George Floyd in 2020, David Mura’s new book proposes American history — and even present day — is full of narratives that have left out the experiences of people of color.
In The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself: Racial Myths and Our American Narratives, Mura spoke to fictional narratives in particular. He noted when white authors write, they tend to reflect their white identity in ways they are often unconscious of, and in doing so, exclude the lives and narratives of people of color.
“When people of color write narratives, we still have to account for white people. We still have to account for our place in America,” he said.
But Mura said he isn't trying to make people feel shame through his work.
“I don’t believe guilt and shame changes people. What I believe changes people is knowledge and love,” he said.
"When people of color write narratives, we still have to account for white people. We still have to account for our place in America."David Mura
Nobody knows everything when it comes to race, he said, but he encourages people to admit their ignorance and educate themselves.
Mura is a Minn. writer who writes about race and identity. His other books include We are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minnesota to the World, and Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei.
Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.
What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.