By Issa | News from the Other Side

When we talk about racism in America, the focus is usually on what white people did wrong—slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, redlining, systemic oppression. And yes, these were all real and undeniable.

But what we don’t talk about enough is the other side of the story—the white people who saw the truth and fought to change it.

The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t just a Black fight—it was a fight for America’s soul. And it wouldn’t have succeeded without white people who risked their lives, reputations, and positions of power to stand up for justice.

That’s not a narrative meant to erase the struggle of Black people—it’s a truth that has been overshadowed in modern conversations about race.

And if we want to save America today, we need that same coalition again.

White Power Created the System—But White Allies Helped Dismantle It

Let’s be real. Black people had no institutional power during slavery, segregation, or the early 1900s.

✔ Who made the laws? White lawmakers.
✔ Who controlled the courts? White judges.
✔ Who ran the military and police? White officers.
✔ Who had access to wealth and influence? White business owners.

The system of racism was created by white power. But that also means only white power could begin to dismantle it.

And some white people understood that.

1. The Abolitionists and the Underground Railroad

  • Enslaved Black people fought for their own freedom, but they needed allies who had the ability to help.
  • White abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown, and Harriet Beecher Stowe used their privilege to attack the system.
  • The Underground Railroad, led by Black heroes like Harriet Tubman, was only possible because of white allies who provided shelter, forged documents, and smuggled people to safety.

2. The Civil Rights Movement: More Than Just Black America

The image we often see of the Civil Rights Movement is Black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. marching for justice.

But what about:

  • The Freedom Riders—Black and white college students who rode buses through the South together, knowing they could be beaten or killed?
  • The White Lawyers and Politicians—who helped draft the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act?
  • The Journalists, Clergy, and Teachers—who spoke out against racism when it was dangerous to do so?

The truth is, if only Black people had marched, the movement would have been crushed. It succeeded because enough white Americans saw the truth and said, “We can’t live like this.”

And we’re at that same crossroads again today.

The Lie That Keeps Us Divided

One of the most dangerous narratives in modern America is the all-or-nothing approach to race:
✔ Either white people are the oppressors and Black people are the oppressed.
✔ Or racism is over, and we should “move on.”

Both of these are wrong.

Here’s what the truth actually looks like:
✔ There are still racist systems in America.
✔ Not all white people support those systems.
✔ Many white people in power benefit from racism but don’t recognize it.
✔ Black people can’t fix this alone—it takes allies in power to dismantle it.

But the biggest lie that keeps America divided is that white people and Black people can’t work together to save this country.

Why We Need Another Movement—And Why It Will Take White People Again

America is on the edge of something dangerous. The rise of:
✔ White nationalism
✔ Authoritarian politics
✔ Open attacks on voting rights
✔ The dismantling of DEI programs
✔ The fear of discussing real history

Black people see the danger clearly—because we’ve lived it before.

But here’s the hard truth: We don’t have the institutional power to stop it alone.

✔ Who writes the laws? Still mostly white politicians.
✔ Who owns the corporations? Still mostly white executives.
✔ Who controls the justice system? Still mostly white judges and prosecutors.

We need more white allies willing to stand up like they did in the past—not out of guilt, not out of “wokeness,” but because the future of America depends on it.

This isn’t about making white people heroes—it’s about recognizing that a multiracial movement is the only way to stop the rise of racism, authoritarianism, and national division.

If America is going to be saved, it’s going to take all of us.

Final Thought: We Did It Before—We Can Do It Again

The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t won by Black people alone or white people alone—it was won by people who chose to fight for justice together.

And now, in 2025, we are at a new turning point.

Will we allow racism and division to consume America again?
Or will we recognize that we need each other to build the country we claim to be?

We did it before.
We can do it again.

But we can’t do it alone.

News from the Other Side – Where We Tell the Truth, Not What’s Popular.