What should allies do? Identifying activist perspectives on the role of white allies in the struggle for racial justice in the United States

The present research examined the perspectives of both White and Black racial justice activists on the roles of White allies in the struggle for justice for Black people in the United States. Study 1 used Q methodology, a mixed-methods approach, which identified four distinct perspectives about the role of White allies from a sample of activists (33 White and 22 Black Americans): (1) mobilize to support Black leadership, (2) interpersonal activism, (3) avoid dominating Black people's efforts, and (4) lifelong learning. In Study 2, we interviewed activists (22 White and 12 Black Americans) to understand their evaluation of, and preference for, each of perspective identified in Study 1. Thematic analyses showed that each perspective had its pros and cons regarding considerations of how to best use ingroup advantages without dominating the movement. Our findings contribute to our understanding of potential tensions in solidarity-based social movements.

Automated summary

This research examined the perspectives of White and Black racial justice activists on the roles of White allies in the fight for justice for Black people in the United States. The findings identified four distinct perspectives on the role of White allies, including mobilizing to support Black leadership, engaging in interpersonal activism, avoiding dominating Black people's efforts, and engaging in lifelong learning. Interviews with activists further evaluated and discussed the pros and cons of each perspective, highlighting considerations for leveraging ingroup advantages without dominating the movement. The study contributes to our understanding of potential tensions in solidarity-based social movements.