Panel discussion about race and writing features author of “Black Guy Bald Guy”

Krystal Goethe – Special to The Southern News 

Race is a touchy subject to write about, or at least that was the focus at Writing Race: A Panel; an event moderated by English Professor Tim Parrish. The event also featured Audrey Petty, a former professor at the University of Illinois and editor of High-Rise Stories: Voices from Chicago Public Housing as well as Steve Davenport, a professor at the University of Illinois and writer of the novel “Black Guy Bald Guy.”

The event opened up with Tim Parrish reading an email that he had written to both Petty and Davenport. In that email Parrish asked, ‘Are there exceptions that you make in your writing?’

“I wrote fictions and no one wanted to publish them,” Davenport said. “No one wanted to deal with race.” He then said that he was unaware of his audience, but wanted people outside of the university to read his material.

“I have taken that extra step for people to know that the characters are black,” Petty said. She said that she went to schools that were mostly African-American, so she was no stranger to an urbanized culture.

Her writing material ranges from identity issues, to surviving Jim Crow, to migrating from the south and even chitterlings. Despite writing about things that some people would consider large parts of African-American culture, Petty didn’t feel as though she was writing about race. “I didn’t know,” said Petty, “that I was writing about race.”

Davenport said that he had issues when it came to addressing race. He said that as a child one of his favorite places just so happened to be called, “Negro Creek.” Years later while being at a junior high school that was mainly African-American, the instructor asked; ‘What was your favorite place as a child?’

“I raised my hand and then thought to myself, oh shoot I can’t say that in here,” said Davenport.

He also said that back at Illinois University a student thanked him by saying, “thanks bald guy” after that he had asked the student what do I call you? He responded “black guy” and that is where he got the idea for his novel, “Black Guy Bald Guy.”

Even though some people feel uncomfortable writing about race, Davenport actually encouraged race being mentioned in writing.

Davenport said, “When students create characters they don’t use race.”

When the “N word” was brought up by an attendant at the event, there were a number of different opinions voiced on the topic.

“I have been yelled at through car windows,” Petty said. “Mainly by people I don’t know.” Some people don’t even feel comfortable using that word at all.

“I have a hard time saying that word,” said Davenport.

When it comes to talking to people about race that is usually difficult to talk about, but everyone was fine with sharing their thoughts.

“It is hard to get white people to talk about it,” said Parrish. “Because they are afraid to offend somebody.”

Audrey Petty had a more neutral view. “Sometimes, it is but not always,” Petty said.

Overall, people can’t avoid race. For some people; it’s their center; for others it’s nothing.

This event even had the power to change some people’s outlook on writing about race.

“I never thought it was that important until now,” said Dominique Moss, a social work major. Hopefully events like this can help lower the difficulty level of writing about race.

Photo Credit: d-221 books