
Episode 3.07: Traditional White Art
02/20/21 • 25 min
Don and Amy start this week's discussion with a job listing by the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields that sought a director to “attract a broader and diverse audience while still maintaining the Museum’s traditional, core, white art audience.” The conversation also includes antique shops selling symbols of white supremacy in Oregon, students calling out teachers and organizations for racism, and a possibly inevitable revisiting of John Hughes films.
Additional resources:
- "Newfields job posting sparks community controversy" (The Butler Collegian, Emma Quasny, February 17, 2021)
https://thebutlercollegian.com/2021/02/newfields-job-posting-sparks-community-controversy/ - "Letter from our Board of Trustees and Board of Governors" (Newfields, February 27, 2021)
https://discovernewfields.org/statement - "Curator calls Newfields culture toxic, discriminatory in resignation letter" (Indianapolis Star, by Domenica Bongiovanni, July 28, 2020)
https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/arts/2020/07/18/newfields-curator-says-discriminatory-workplace-toxic/5459574002/?fbclid=IwAR2DlqMFjJR-_w4HhZtr8ZwODyjVXnVbmhhvj0vLNGoCeg9MkDgD1RpekwA - "The Indiana Murals" (Indiana University Bloomington)
https://murals.sitehost.iu.edu/history/index.html - "Symbols Of White Supremacy Confront Oregon Shoppers At Antiques Mall" (NPR, by Emily Cureton, February 14, 2021)
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/14/961532763/symbols-of-white-supremacy-confront-oregon-shoppers-at-antique-mall - Oregon black exclusion laws (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_black_exclusion_laws - "When Portland banned blacks: Oregon's shameful history of an 'all-white' state" (The Washington Post, by DeNeen L. Brown, June 7, 2017)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/06/07/when-portland-banned-blacks-oregons-shameful-history-as-an-all-white-state/ - "Black Voices: IU Panhellenic Association member says group's post promoted white saviorism" (Indiana Daily Student, by Agness Lungu, February 11, 2021)
https://www.idsnews.com/article/2021/02/iu-panhellenic-sororities-white-saviorism-circle-of-sisterhood-instagram - "Teacher redefines n-word to Black student in AP history class" (NBC, by Dave Elias, February 16, 2021)
https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2021/02/15/teacher-redefines-n-word-to-black-student-in-ap-history-class/ - "What About 'The Breakfast Club'?" (New Yorker, by Molly Ringwald, April 6, 2018)
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/what-about-the-breakfast-club-molly-ringwald-metoo-john-hughes-pretty-in-pink
Special thanks to BCC interns, Rylie Cook and Constance Johnson, for helping with research for this episode.
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
Don and Amy start this week's discussion with a job listing by the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields that sought a director to “attract a broader and diverse audience while still maintaining the Museum’s traditional, core, white art audience.” The conversation also includes antique shops selling symbols of white supremacy in Oregon, students calling out teachers and organizations for racism, and a possibly inevitable revisiting of John Hughes films.
Additional resources:
- "Newfields job posting sparks community controversy" (The Butler Collegian, Emma Quasny, February 17, 2021)
https://thebutlercollegian.com/2021/02/newfields-job-posting-sparks-community-controversy/ - "Letter from our Board of Trustees and Board of Governors" (Newfields, February 27, 2021)
https://discovernewfields.org/statement - "Curator calls Newfields culture toxic, discriminatory in resignation letter" (Indianapolis Star, by Domenica Bongiovanni, July 28, 2020)
https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/arts/2020/07/18/newfields-curator-says-discriminatory-workplace-toxic/5459574002/?fbclid=IwAR2DlqMFjJR-_w4HhZtr8ZwODyjVXnVbmhhvj0vLNGoCeg9MkDgD1RpekwA - "The Indiana Murals" (Indiana University Bloomington)
https://murals.sitehost.iu.edu/history/index.html - "Symbols Of White Supremacy Confront Oregon Shoppers At Antiques Mall" (NPR, by Emily Cureton, February 14, 2021)
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/14/961532763/symbols-of-white-supremacy-confront-oregon-shoppers-at-antique-mall - Oregon black exclusion laws (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_black_exclusion_laws - "When Portland banned blacks: Oregon's shameful history of an 'all-white' state" (The Washington Post, by DeNeen L. Brown, June 7, 2017)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/06/07/when-portland-banned-blacks-oregons-shameful-history-as-an-all-white-state/ - "Black Voices: IU Panhellenic Association member says group's post promoted white saviorism" (Indiana Daily Student, by Agness Lungu, February 11, 2021)
https://www.idsnews.com/article/2021/02/iu-panhellenic-sororities-white-saviorism-circle-of-sisterhood-instagram - "Teacher redefines n-word to Black student in AP history class" (NBC, by Dave Elias, February 16, 2021)
https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2021/02/15/teacher-redefines-n-word-to-black-student-in-ap-history-class/ - "What About 'The Breakfast Club'?" (New Yorker, by Molly Ringwald, April 6, 2018)
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/what-about-the-breakfast-club-molly-ringwald-metoo-john-hughes-pretty-in-pink
Special thanks to BCC interns, Rylie Cook and Constance Johnson, for helping with research for this episode.
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
Previous Episode

Episode 3.06: Uncle Buck Goes to Washington
After talking about racism evident in a couple national news stories, Amy brings a recent example of her own racism to discuss with Don. Together, they dive deep into taking responsibility for making anti-oppression training easier, the need to let other people in relationships voice their own experience with harm, and the limited role listening and empathy plays in growth.
Additional resources:
- "Country star Morgan Wallen sees album sales spike despite industry backlash over N-word video" (NBC News, by Wilson Wong, February 8, 2021)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/country-star-sees-sales-spike-despite-industry-backlash-over-n-n1257065 - "Mind and Body: Outcomes of a lifesaving procedure reveal systemic racism" (Inverse, by Sarah Sloat, February 3, 2021)
https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/heart-transplant-systemic-racism-study
Special thanks to BCC interns, Rylie Cook and Constance Johnson, for helping with research for this episode.
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
Next Episode

Episode 3.08: Mr. Griffin Goes to Morton Street
Don confirms his good news about a role change that will have him playing a large role in bridging and resolving issues within the Bloomington community. Amy shares her joy for Don as he takes on a new challenge, as well as apprehensions about increased criticism. Also included are some brief discussion of "Coming to America" and poet Amanda Gorman being followed home.
Additional resources:
- "Deputy Mayor Mick Renneisen Plans Retirement in April" (City of Bloomington, February 17, 2021)
https://bloomington.in.gov/news/2021/02/17/4767 - "Mayor Hamilton Announces Don Griffin, Jr. to be Next Deputy Mayor" (City of Bloomington, March 4, 2021)
https://bloomington.in.gov/news/2021/03/04/4785 - People's Cooperative Market
https://www.peoplesmarketbtown.org/ - "Bloomington police respond to records request, release footage of Seminary Park welfare check on man found dead hours later on Christmas Eve" (B Square Beacon, by Dave Askins, March 2, 2021)
https://bsquarebeacon.com/2021/03/02/bloomington-police-respond-to-records-request-release-footage-of-seminary-park-welfare-check-on-man-found-dead-hours-later-on-christmas-eve/ - "Eddie Murphy And Arsenio Hall Say That 'Coming To America' Was Forced To Include A White Person" (Shadow and Act, by Niko Rose, March 4, 2021)
https://shadowandact.com/eddie-murphy-and-arsenio-hall-say-that-coming-to-america-was-forced-to-include-a-white-person - "Amanda Gorman Says A Security Guard Followed Her Home Because She 'Looked Suspicious'" (Blavity, by Leslie D. Rose, March 6, 2021)
https://blavity.com/amanda-gorman-says-a-security-guard-followed-her-home-because-she-looked-suspicious
Special thanks to BCC interns, Rylie Cook and Constance Johnson, for helping with research for this episode.
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
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