Baltimore faith communities collaborate on summer book club to combat racial inequality

By Rev. Kevin Slayton Sr.
Especially for the AFRO

There is an old saying that you can judge a society by its treatment of its children and seniors. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s recently released Kids Count Data Book, which highlights the stark racial disparities facing children in the state of Maryland, shows that the progress we have strived for as a city and community toward equality is more than failing to materialize.

According to the data, Maryland ranks 22nd.^and among states for overall child well-being. Overall, the data suggests we are failing to prepare the next generation to assume productive roles in the future workforce. Black and brown children living in areas considered high-poverty in particular are suffering the most. The data showed that in 2022, one in six fourth-graders were at or above reading level, while only 25 percent of eighth-graders were at or above math level. But in an academic ethos that builds its budgetary framework on the idea of ​​“social advancement,” this is to be expected. Because when it comes to attendance, about a third of the state’s students were chronically absent in 2022. There are literally thousands of children in the Baltimore City Public School system who have missed more than 50 days and yet are being promoted to the next grade.

When considering this reality in terms of academic preparation, the shocking study that revealed the overwhelming number of people of color, particularly older black men between the ages of 55 and 72, falling victim to drug addiction should come as no surprise. That report, first published in the New York Times, pointed to more than 6,000 people who have died of overdoses in our city. The horrifying number should make us all pause and ask, in the words of the late Marvin Gaye, “What’s going on?”

Both of these recent reports show that there is still a lot of work to be done on racial issues and socioeconomic conditions in our society. With that in mind, two local Protestant denominations have joined forces to participate in a summer book club. The two churches are Northwood-Appold United Methodist Church in East Baltimore and Roland Park Presbyterian Church on the west side of the city. Of course, the demographic and social makeup of the two denominations is different. However, as members of the Christian faith, they both believe in the concept of fairness and equality.

Led by two pastoral leaders, Rev. Mark Hanna and Dr. Kevin Slayton Sr., the two congregations are reading Heather McGhee’s book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone And How We Can Prosper Together.” The first book discussion was held on June 12 at Druid Hill Park on the (literal) site of the old swimming pool.

In her book, McGhee examines the nationwide closure of public pools as a result of integration. Across America, communities that used “public money” to fund pools chose to drain them and fill them with concrete rather than share them with people of color. This zero-sum mentality is a major theme of the book and the issues discussed by the participants. The idea that “if things are going to get better for black people, it has to be at the expense of white people” seems to continue to ingrain itself in the minds of so many Americans.

If the two recent reports on the evolving situation of black children and the disturbing number of older black men dying from drug overdoses are any indication of our progress, then we should all be glad that there are religious institutions in our community that are willing to confront the harsh realities of our lives.

Dr. Slayton said he hoped “that what our two congregations (one black and one white) are showing could be a consensus that will hopefully flare up in the pews of other congregations and in the halls of policymakers.” Rev. Hanna added, “The Christian faith commands us to love our neighbor. And to love him, we must first know him. And once we know him, we cannot refuse to care for him, because love requires us to act.”

Rev. Dr. Kevin A. Slayton Sr. is pastor of Northwood Appold United Methodist Church, campaign manager of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, and adjunct professor at Lancaster Theological Seminary.