Understanding White Privilege Today

Why I’m Writing About This 

Many of you who follow my blog know that I usually write about spiritual topics. I never expected to step into conversations about injustice and inequality, but I believe God has placed this burden on my heart for a reason. I am trusting Him to guide me as I learn, listen, and speak about justice from a Kingdom perspective. My prayer is that these words will help us better understand the Father’s heart and encourage us to respond with humility, compassion, and truth. 

What Privilege Means 

For a long time, I did not give much thought to the phrase “white privilege.” It can be a hard topic to discuss because many white people do not feel powerful, wealthy, or privileged. Some have struggled deeply in life and may wonder, “How can I be privileged when I have had hardships too?” That is an honest question. But privilege does not mean a person has never suffered. It simply means there may be certain obstacles they have not had to face because of their race, gender, class, or background. 

In simple terms, privilege is an advantage that some people receive without asking for it and often without noticing it. Frances E. Kendall, author of Understanding White Privilege, explains that racial privilege can be hard to see for those who were born with access to power and resources, but it is very visible to those who were not given that same access. That statement stayed with me because it helped me understand that privilege is not always about what someone has done wrong. Sometimes it is about what society has made easier for one group and harder for another. 

My Early Experience With Racism 

I grew up in the South during the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. My first clear memory of racism happened when I was about eight years old. I attended a mostly white school during the early years of desegregation. When I entered third grade, I was the only Black student in my class. At that age, I did not fully understand the weight of that experience or how it would shape me later in life. I only knew that it was lonely, painful, and difficult. Even with bullying and isolation, I kept pressing forward. 

In 1965, schools in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, where I grew up, began to racially integrate. I was among the first African American students to enter an all-white elementary school in my community. At the time, I did not know that God would use that experience to prepare me for future events. Years later, the Lord helped me see that what I endured was not wasted. He was shaping my heart and opening my eyes to things I would one day need to speak about. 

Learning the History Behind My Story 

While researching this topic, I learned more about Virginia’s resistance to the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education. That decision declared that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. I also learned that the old idea of “separate but equal” was not equal at all. Reading this history brought a sadness I had not expected. 

After Brown, Virginia leaders created the Gray Commission, named after State Senator Garland Gray, to consider how the state would respond to desegregation. Virginia later became known for “Massive Resistance,” a campaign designed to slow or block school integration. Even after the courts ordered schools to move forward, many communities found ways to delay real change. In practice, many schools remained segregated for years. 

My parents chose to send my siblings and me to a white school because they believed we would receive a better education. That choice came with a cost. It meant walking into spaces where we were not always welcomed. It meant carrying burdens that children should not have to carry. Looking back, I understand more clearly that privilege can mean being free from certain burdens that others are forced to bear. 

Asking Hard Questions Today 

Fast forward to today, and I still find myself asking: Is equality real for everyone, or is it something we talk about more than we practice? In The Myth of Equality, Ken Wytsma writes about the deep roots of injustice and privilege. His work reminds us that racial bias is often more subtle than we realize and that issues of race go deeper than surface-level conversations. For me, this became especially clear during and after the 2016 election, when racial tension in our nation became impossible to ignore. 

A Kingdom Perspective on Justice 

As a minister of the gospel, my heart is grieved when I see racial injustice, the degradation of women, human trafficking, and modern-day slavery. These things do not reflect the Father’s heart. If someone has never experienced racial injustice, it may be hard for them to believe how real it is. But many people are still judged by the color of their skin. Women and vulnerable people are still mistreated. People are still bought, sold, and trapped in darkness, even though Christ came to set captives free. 

Racism is a heart issue. Degrading women and others is a heart issue. Human trafficking and slavery are heart issues. The Bible says, “Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.” We are all created in the image of God—Imago Dei (Genesis 1:27). Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” That means every person carries God-given value and dignity. 

Responding With Humility and Truth 

Understanding white privilege does not require shame, defensiveness, or blame. It requires honesty. It asks us to look at history, listen to the pain of others, and ask God to show us what we may not have seen before. It asks those with influence to use it for justice, mercy, and healing. It asks the Church to care not only about personal salvation but also about how people are treated in this present world. 

History often repeats itself when sin is left unchallenged. Sin affects our lives, our families, our communities, our nation, and our relationship with God. But righteousness can also shape a nation. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” 

An Invitation to Seek God’s Heart 

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 
— Micah 6:8 

So I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery. Let us seek the Father’s heart together. Let us ask Him to open our eyes, soften our hearts, and teach us how to love our neighbors well. May we become people who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. 

Blessings, 

Minister A. Francine Green

Notes:

1. Virginia’s “Massive Resistance” to School Desegregation http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu
2. Freedom of Choice (schools) (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Choice_(schools)).