Peabody Award-winning journalist Michele Norris offers a transformative conversation about race and identity in America, explored through her decades-long work at the Race Card Project.
The prompt seems simple: Run. Your thoughts. Six words. Please send.However, the answer is difficult and complicated. In the twelve years since award-winning journalist Michele Norris first asked that question, more than half a million people have submitted their stories to the Racing Card Project inbox. The stories are shocking in their depth and candor, spanning the entire spectrum of race, ethnicity, identity and class. Even in just six words, micro-essays can make a profound impression, revealing fear, pain, triumph, and sometimes humor. Responses like:
You are so beautiful for a black girl.White privilege, enjoy it, deserve it. Ma'am, I don't want your wallet. My ancestors massacred Indians recently. City life exposes me to racism. I'm only Asian when it suits me.Many even went beyond six words, submitting stories, photos and family heirlooms: a collection that feels a lot like an American franchise album you rarely see. Our Hidden Conversations is a unique collection of stories, richly reported essays, and photographs that provide a window into America in turbulent times. This powerful book offers an honest, if sometimes uncomfortable, conversation about race and identity, allowing us to listen to the deep thoughts, private discussions,
and long-buried memories.
The scale of this work surprised Norris. In the nearly ten years she has been collecting these stories, many have been answered by white people.This unexpected panorama offers a rare 360-degree view of how Americans see themselves and each other.
Our Hidden Conversations remind us that even in times of great division, honesty, kindness, and a listening ear can be a bridge to empathy and even maybe understanding.
