DAVID BILLINGS

by David Billings Jerome Smith following his 1961 arrest in Jackson, Mississippi, during the Freedom Rides. The violence Smith endured during the Civil Rights Movement left lasting physical injuries—but never silenced his commitment to justice and community. The Olympics had just finished, and I watched some of them on television. The Olympics are always fascinating to me. Any time someone is at the very height of whatever you call it—their craft, their ambition, their artist

by David Billiongs It was a much smaller world back then. I remember the first time I saw Ken Hatfield’s letter jacket. Along the sleeve it listed his accomplishments: “All district, all region, all state, all American.” I remember stopping at that last one—All American. I thought to myself, My goodness, how does someone become an All American? That jacket represented a larger world than the one I knew, a place where something extraordinary was possible. Ken Hatfield was the

by David Billings I want to begin by explaining what these stories are and why I am telling them. What follows will be a series of reflections—stories, really—about my life and why I do what I do. I share them so that anyone who listens or reads will have some sense of the context in which they arise. These stories are not meant to be perfectly factual accounts. I am speaking off the cuff in many ways, reflecting in the moment. Dr. David Billings ,a lifelong learner, teach

A Lifetime of Friendship; My first New York Experience by David Billings Rev. Nibs Stroupe, David's oldest friend. Nibs Stroupe has been a friend of mine since we were both in fourth grade and we've remained friends over the years. In 1966, he learned from his minister at First Presbyterian Church in Helena, Arkansas, about a summer program that was happening at a Presbyterian church in New York City. The minister thought Nibs should look into it, and possibly apply for it

I am thrilled to announce the audible version of Deep Denial: The Persistence of White Supremacy in United States History and Life. Deep Denia l, an award-winning book by David Billings , was first published a month before the 2016 election. This audible edition, with a 2024 epilogue written with his wife/partner, Margery Freeman, is crucial in our current fight for justice. Deep Denial answers the question: Why is racism still with us, and how do we overcome it? David

We all celebrate this day in one way or another. A thought. A visit. A gift or card. To all the mothers all over the world, we celebrate...

I knew Anne Braden from the mid 1970’s until her death in March 2006. Of course, I knew of her before then. She was an icon of the Civil...

“Cynicism is the greatest barrier to love. It is rooted in doubt and despair.” —Bell Hooks, All About Love I remember this Advent most...

I think often these days about white progressive types who feel they are "beyond racism" and move on to other matters closer to their own...

In many ways it was a typical New Orleans event. People from all over the city were gathered for the ribbon-cutting of the...

Jesus went up the mountain to have some time alone. He was attracting more and more attention and his audience was changing—larger, more...

PISAB Organizing with New Orleans’ St. Thomas Residents Council The People’s Institute has a set of principles that were developed some...

I knew Bob Moses. I met him several times over the years. This was often at a SOC (Southern Organizing Committee) or a meeting on Voter...

Margery Freeman is a veteran educator who has taught for decades in the public and non-profit worlds. That teaching experience has...

In the innovative podcast FOOD FOR THE FUTURE, Lindsey from the World Food Forum and Sara from Kitchen Connection chat with change makers...

Noted author/historian, anti-racism educator/activist and truth-teller, Rev. David Billings discusses his best-selling book, Deep Denial:...

David Billings, is a CORE trainer with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (www.pisab.org). In this video he delivers...

As the specter of the trial of George Floyd’s murderer looms over America, I wonder what it takes to preserve basic rights when it comes...

Sometime in the early 1980’s I met the Rev. Daniel Buford. I was walking down a hallway at Antioch College, inside one of its buildings,...

Two weeks ago, Eric Kaufmann's op-ed in the New York Times ("The Democratic Coalition is at Risk”) examined trends away from the...