ABSTRACT
During my first semester at the university where I currently teach, one of my White female graduate students (whom I will call Lisa) approached me at the end of the second class and said, in the course of a brief exchange, "You're the first Black teacher I've ever had in my whole life." Somewhat taken aback by the comment, I responded, "Really, tell me about that." Obviously unprepared for my retort, Lisa stumbled through an answer that went something like this: "Well... you know ... it's just that... I've lived all my life in New York City and I went to elementary school, high school, did a bachelor's degree, and now I'm doing my master's, and only now I have a Black teacher." To which I shot back, "Well, that's very telling, isn't it?"—a reply that I could see clearly made Lisa uncomfortable. Lisa promptly tried to exit our conversation as politely as possible. It was an unsettling moment for both of us.
