A new educational program being implemented at Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon called “Whiteness History Month” seeks to analyze the social contrast of whiteness and its relation to race, racism, and the “master race” narrative.

Carter Hicks, Viking Fusion Videographer

Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon has recently announced their plan to implement a new educational program called “Whiteness History Month”.  The project “seeks to inspire innovative and practical solutions to community issues and social problems that stem from racism”, according to the school’s website.

The school has received mixed reactions from people who have been made aware of the program. PCC has been accused of celebrating whiteness and promoting white supremacy. The school’s website states the purpose of the project is “not a celebratory endeavor”. Their goal is to challenge the narrative of race and racism “through an exploration of the social construct of whiteness”.

When asked about PCC’s program and its purpose, Dr. Tasha Toy of the Multicultural and International Student Programs (MISP) had this to say: “Race has been a very strange creature when it comes to American history. It was founded by a group of white men and it has evolved over time. We have really embraced the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That is good, and I think that we also need to be very mindful of what our founding fathers intended it to do, which is to be a living, breathing document, to evolve over time. It has done that; we just need to be very open, very civil, to our brothers and sisters wherever they are coming from. To see where they are coming from and to see what they are bringing with them.”

The school will seek to educate students on Whiteness History through a wide variety of educational platforms including presentations, lectures, film, art, etc. over the course of the month of April. For more information visit the Portland Community College website at www.pcc.edu.