“White privilege. White fear. White guilt. Ingrained, systemic racism is being revealed and yet many white people have been unable or unwilling to talk about it. The conversations need to start now.  Let’s Talk Race confronts why white people struggle to talk about race, why we need to own this problem, and how we can learn to do the work ourselves and stop expecting Black people to do it for us.”

The above quote is the introductory message on the website for the book “Let’s Talk Race: A Guide for White People.”  This very book was recently promoted by signage, newsletters, and a “workshop” hosted by the Wilmot Public Library (WPL) on May 28, 2021.  The undersigned of this letter believe that this material (e.g. Critical Race Theory) has no place in our small town public spaces and wish to make Andover and other local citizens aware of the type of programming that may be being offered at their local libraries.

This book is the very embodiment of Critical Race Theory (CRT), a divisive and Marxist ideology which divides groups of humans by color and assigns characteristics based on that color while insisting, as the book insinuates, that the pigment of your skin can, inherently, make you an oppressor.  We find this to be racism in its most basic and pure definition.

The inclusion of this material into any programming promoted and coordinated by WPL is both advancing a social narrative and, we believe, a racist one at that: something categorically denied by the WPL. You can read the full correspondence at NHPatriots.org/is-your-library-promoting-racism/.

We love the library.  However, racism is not culture, and we don’t believe it should be included in programming under the guise of a social justice education.  In fact, with the recent passage of New Hampshire House Bill 2 (HB2), programming that is considered to be discriminatory and racist is now unlawful. 

As such, we will be monitoring our public entities for any related activity that is contrary to HB2, with the hope that the employees and volunteers of the WPL will not continue the promulgation of such material as part of library programming or advertising.  We, along with many other citizens of our small towns, will be paying close attention and will vote accordingly if the WPL Board Members continue to allow CRT in the libraries.

Brianna Marino, Kathy Prieto, and Jessica Fraioli

Wilmot