White historian claims her life would be easier if she were black, sparking instant backlash

A white historian and retired professor speaking at a conference Friday said she wished she was black because she believed it would have made her professional life easier — leading audience members to storm out in protest.

The academic, identified by attendees online as Lois Banner, a USC professor emerita of history, was instantly called out for her remarks during the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians, which she co-founded in the 1970s.

“Well, the Berks plenary just took a turn,” attendee and PhD candidate Stephanie Narrow said on Twitter. “A white senior scholar at the 50th anniversary plenary VERY publicly, and unapologetically, said that she wished she was Black so her professional life would be easier.”

Narrow, who later named Banner as the scholar, said she refused to take back what she said.

She claimed the academic, who is the author of a 2012 biography of Marilyn Monroe, said: “You won’t change my mind — I’m 84 years old.”

“She was immediately called out for her blatantly racist remarks, and refused to apologize, let alone listen, to the reason why her remarks were horrifying wrong,” Narrow tweeted.

She added that the whole audience was taken aback by Banner’s behavior and the uneasiness and anger was “palpable” among the crowd.

Narrow said that Banner not only wished she was a member of a historically-marginalized race but also said she wished she was a lesbian because she was envious of the way lesbians build community.

The next speaker, Deirdre Cooper Owens, condemned Banner’s statements and “chose to center love,” according to Narrow.

Owens addressed the situation on Twitter as well.

“The Berks Conference was a beautiful one until it was soiled by Lois Banner’s hatefully racist comments,” Owens, who is black, tweeted. “Yes, I did speak out forcefully against her vitriol because she needed to keep Black women’s name out of her mouth.”

Banner spoke immediately after black historian Deborah Gray White gave an impassioned speech about black female academics being closed out of the world of white women scholars at the conference.

Following Banner’s comments and the resulting public outcry, the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians posted a statement to Twitter.

“The Berks officers do not condone or support the inappropriate remarks made by one of the speakers tonight,” the statement said. “A formal statement from the presidents will be made after the break.”

The officials also held a meeting inviting people to give their input on the situation in order to chart a plan of action.