A project of the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing

The James Byrd. Jr. Racism Oral History Project is a project of the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing. The James Byrd. Jr. Racism Oral History Project was launched in the summer of 2000 and has collected approximately 2,500 oral histories on the topic of racism in America.

About James Byrd Jr.:

In l998, James Byrd Jr., a father of three from Jasper, Texas, was murdered by three white supremacists when they chained him to their truck and dragged him three miles to his death in the outskirts of town. This crime is known as one of the worst hate-crimes in American history.

Three young men were convicted of the crime. It marked the first time in Texas history that white men were convicted of murdering a black man.

Following the murder of James, the Byrd family and other concerned citizens founded the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing. The foundation works to educate, prevent and treat racism in our communities. In 2000, the Foundation established the James Byrd. Jr. Racism Oral History Project, which has now conducted 2,500 oral histories about racism’s impact on our daily lives. The oral histories serve to remember and honor James and help Americans improve racial relations in their communities. 

Main Organizational Activities:
The project organizes an oral history collection on the topic of racism in America, engages in community outreach and advocacy and curriculum development. The project is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our volunteer staff works with public schools and their students, school administrators and parents. We also work with community organizations, churches, synagogues and businesses to increase diversity and decrease racism in our society.

Principals:
Lani Silver is the Project Director, acting under the direction of Clara Byrd Taylor, the President of the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing, and a sister of James Byrd Jr. The Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing is based in Houston Texas. The James Byrd Jr. Racism Oral History Project is based in San Francisco. A coordinating committee works with Ms. Silver, and is comprised of: Luise Custer, Dr. Juan Federer, Toni Gill, Deloris Gaines McGee and Jessica Juarez.

Recent Accomplishments Include:

• The gathering of 2,000 oral histories on racism in America. We ask each person we interview to describe how racism has impacted his or her life.
• The project teaches hundreds of classes every year on the topic of racism in San Francisco Bay Area schools.
• The project sponsors house parties where people come to tell their stories. In 2006 we conducted 20 interviews on videotape at “interviewing parties”.
• Successful relationships with Bay Area Junior and Senior High Schools have been forged. The project has developed its curriculum for use in public high schools. The project consults with and assists schools in producing Assemblies on racism in America. The emphasis of the workshops and Assemblies is on how we can reduce racism in our lifetimes. In March 2006, three Assemblies on the topic were held at San Francisco’s School of the Arts and it’s sister school, the Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• Oral Histories were conducted on a mass scale in 2004 at San Mateo High School in California. The tapes are currently featured in an exhibition on immigration at the San Mateo Historical Museum.
• Articles have been published on the project in the following publications: the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, the Nob Hill Gazette, the Beaumont Enterprise, Cleveland Jewish News, the Nob Hill Gazette and the Jasper Newsboy. Televised stories have aired on KRON-TV and KGO-TV.
• Several awards have been given to project coordinators. Lani Silver, Project Director, was named one of five “Women of the Year” by KQED Television and Radio in 2004. Ms. Silver also received the prestigious Ally Award from the Center for Healing Racism in Houston, Texas. Deloris Gaines McGee, a member of the Coordinating Committee was named “Unsung Hero by the San Francisco Public Library in 2004.

Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing

After the death of James Byrd Jr., the Byrd family and concerned citizens around Texas founded the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing in order to prevent such a murder from happening again.  The Byrd family’s perseverance has helped increased visibility of racism and violence throughout the United States.

Main Organizational Activities:
The Foundation consult on hate-crime legislation, conducts advocacy and outreach through liaison work with various community groups including the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, schools and community organizations to increase public awareness of racism and prejudice.

Recent Accomplishments include:

• Successful on-going relationships have developed with a wide range of community organizations. The Foundation has helped introduce hate-crime legislation in Texas and consults on hate-crimes legislation nationwide.
• After two teens desecrated the grave of James Byrd Jr., in 2004, the Foundation worked with the judge to ensure that the young perpetrators understood the significance of their actions.  As a result of this collaboration, the judge sentenced the youth to community service in Jasper and the teens were mandated by the social service agency to conduct oral histories on racism in their community.
• The Foundation has also been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Ted Koppel’s Nightline and several films have been made on the topic.