The talk is a colloquial expression for a conversation some black parents in the United States feel compelled to have with their children and teenagers about the dangers they face due to racism or unjust treatment from authority figures, law enforcement or other parties, and how to de-escalate them. The practice dates back generations and is often a rite of passage for black children.
History
Black youth in the United States have "always been warned" about dealing with authority figures safely and instructed by their parents or other caregivers on the dangers they face due to racism. Variations of the talk have been conducted in black families for decades or generations; the practice "dates back to slavery and has lasted centuries". Utne Reader called the talk "a rite of passage" for black children. Judy Belk, writing in the Los Angeles Times, called the talk "an unfair but necessary burden we carry in the black community, one we reluctantly pass down" and "a painful ritual."
Content
The conversation often focuses on how to de-escalate encounters with police especially given the high frequency of black men being pulled over for minor, insignificant or non-existent issues, also referred to as driving while black. Sometimes the talk addresses encounters with white supremacists or vigilantes. The "talk" has been described as an example of preparation for bias in racial-ethnic socialization and typically addresses specific advice in dealing with interactions with law enforcement. Brooks et al. described the type of advice for those confronted by law enforcement while driving:
Pulling over your vehicle right away
Keeping hands visible on the steering wheel and not making sudden moves
Being as polite as possible, using "Yes sir, officer"
Not arguing, even if you are right
The perception of a need for these behaviours has been described as racialized legal cynicism. According to PBS, the talks usually include instructions such as: According to Vox, for blacks in the United States, "a typical police stop turning into a violent encounter is a very real, terrifying possibility."
Depiction
made a short documentary in 2015 featuring the experiences of black Americans in having this conversation with their children and their memories of their own parents' conversations with them. PBS created a two-hour documentary, The Talk: Race in America, in 2017. Procter & Gamble produced a commercial called "The Talk" in 2017. A 2018 episode of Grey's Anatomy included a black couple having the talk with their son. In 2019, PBS station WFYI, the SALT Project, Trinity United Church of Christ and Christian Theological Seminary partnered to develop a short video for young black men called "Get Home Safely: 10 Rules of Survival".
