Reconciling the past and shaping the future: The importance of social work history in the Grand Challenge to Eliminate Racism

Abstract

Social work is a discipline guided by ideologies and aspirations for equity and racial justice; yet, a review of documented history on its founding and founders reveals a narrative that is confoundingly different than its ideas. Social work programs share a ubiquitous narrative that white founders were the cornerstone images of the discipline, describing these individuals as revolutionaries who were ahead of their time. White founders Jane Addams and Mary Richmond have been lauded countless awards and recognition for their progressive works of service, and nearly deified postmortem. Schools of social work and initiatives have been named after them and hosts of scholarly materials and documentaries are created to herald their works. Yet, scholars are now challenging such notions and questioning why they were deemed historical heroes and the current day effect their images have on the discipline moving forward. Such revolutionary thinking questions why social work has only embraced white founders and suggests that BIPOC contributions to social justice are as remarkable and noteworthy in helping establish the discipline. As social work begins to revisit and reconcile with its past, refining how the discipline tells its history is needed to build a future that truly embraces and activates equity and social justice.

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