Sparked: George Floyd, Racism, and the Progressive Illusion

by Walter R. Jacobs (Editor)

Reflections on race in Minnesota in the wake of George Floyd's death and the uprisings that followed, as told by current and former residents of the state.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by Minneapolis police officers, sparking months of unrest at home and around the world. As millions took to the streets to express their outrage and speak out against systemic racism, injustice, and institutionalized violence, the city of Minneapolis and its residents were deeply shaken. For many, George Floyd's murder and the ensuing uprisings shattered the city's reputation for progressive ideals and a high quality of life. For many others, the incident simply caught on camera a representation of the harsh realities and paradoxes that they have been living with for generations. In the words of Jasmine Mitchell, "the ‘Minnesota nice’ comforts and illusionary progressiveness resides upon the ignoring of White racial terrorism and fears of Blackness, brown immigrants, and resistance to White supremacy."

Sparked brings together the perspectives of social scientists, professors, and other academics who work or have worked in Minnesota. The essays present reflections on racial dynamics in the Twin Cities and the intersection of the wonderful and wretched sides of that existence, revealing deep complexities, ingrained inequities, and diverse personal experiences.

Genres: Nonfiction

228 pages, Paperback

Published May 18, 2021

About the author

Dean of the College of Social Sciences at San José State University.

Reviews

[Karen Kohoutek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably should have waited to buy this; it's worth reading, but I could have gotten it from the library. While I appreciate the intent -- a multiplicity of voices, mostly BIPOC scholars (to use the conventions of the book), reflecting on George Floyd's murder and racism in Minnesota. Most of the essays, though, are quite short, so none of them really have enough space to breathe, and some of the same introductory points were made multiple times, like the studies about racial gaps in the state, which are discussed in the intro, but then are background for several essays. I wanted to get the writers' insights, and I feel that the editors wanted to get in as many perspectives as possible, which is laudable, but the presentation ended up being more surface-y than they likely intended.

Also, I hadn't realized that the writers were drawn from professional academics, so that slants the POV a little, since they all work within a certain milieu, which many of them acknowledge can be a progressive bubble (albeit with its own issues with racism). I think from the blurb, I got the idea that this would be more focused on perspectives from on the ground about the Minneapolis uprising, and the essays I liked best were by people who lived near the events, or are more actively involved with the movement, as well as those that got into a bit more depth about the area's Indigenous history, which is erased at the same time it's popularized in white-washed versions. These essays tended to get more into specifics, which I liked.

There's a lot of focus on Minnesota and Minneapolis as some sort of paradise for white people, and frankly, I thought more people saw the liberal image and land of opportunity ideas as self-promotional PR, but this came up a LOT. Minnesota has beautiful countryside, and Minneapolis has a long-standing arts scene, and like everywhere, they're full of great individuals, but I've never taken all the other stuff seriously. A lot has already been written about "Minnesota Nice," and I've already read "A Good Time for the Truth," which covers this ground more expansively. That latter book contains 17 essays; this one has 39, and I think that's the crux of it.

This more bite-sized approach might be just what someone's looking for, though. So again, an admirable effort, but not quite for me.

[Amber Grell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm mortified by my ignorance on how "Minnesota Nice" affects Black people on top of how vast the gap between the livelihood of white people versus Black people are in my home state, a state that has prided itself on how "progressive" it is, and how disgusting it is that I fooled myself into feeling any sort of pride for that.

I think my review would be best used to restate quotes throughout that resonated with me most.

"To be Black in America is to be considered a trespasser, a person who only conditionally belongs, and even then that belonging is dictated by white feelings and fears, and tolerated with white approval and permission." - Wendy Thompson Taiwo

"The Minnesota nice comforts and illusionary progressiveness reside upon the ignoring of White racial terrorism and fears of Blackness, of brown immigrants, and of resistance to White supremacy." - Jasmine Mitchell

"The institution of policing was not designed to be used to address the wide range of community issues they [are] tasked with handling." - Erin Sharkey

"White people and white institutions so often plant the burden of social change on the blacks of the most vulnerable." - Shannon Gibney

"There are many Black folks who are disillusioned by the experiences they've had growing up without adequate resources, but leaving those spaces and entering more affluent ones can be traumatizing for their children, who are forced to endure racial trauma in the pursuit of access and privilege that a close proximity to whiteness is assumed to yield." - Brittany Lewis

"Low-income communities of color are never in the room when research studies or reports that will impact them are being designed and written." - Brittany Lewis

[Emma Marsland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for school. It was so interesting learning from all of the authors and their different perspectives. A very well-crafted book. Learning from others is very important and this book embodies that message.

[Sara Evraets · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it is important to mention how important it is to see and experience things from different perspectives and this book made it very clear to understand. Some stories make me feel fear, anger, sadness as well as love, community and strength. Very moving

[Tanya Leick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down, as each essay was so poignant and beautiful.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow: READ It. -thas my 'review'