Minneapolis, Minnesota. A University of Minnesota research initiative funded by the National Institute of Mental Health is facing renewed scrutiny after its website describing a “Whiteness pandemic” began circulating widely on social media. The project, launched in 2021 through a $279,271 federal grant, was created to develop resources for parents, educators and caregivers focused on what the research team described as the cultural roots of racism in the United States.
According to the project site, the researchers characterize “Whiteness” as a cultural system, not a biological trait, linked to colorblindness, passivity, and “White fragility.” The site frames racism as an epidemic and says the “Whiteness pandemic” is a driving factor behind it. The group encouraged White adults to engage in ongoing self-reflection, education and antiracist caregiving practices.
The materials resurfaced on X and prompted criticism from several academics and advocacy groups. Defending Education research director Rhyen Staley called the project an example of “far-left programming” in higher education. Professors from George Washington University and Arizona State University also questioned the framing, calling it excessive or divisive.
The project website states its goal was to shift attention from individuals harmed by racism to broader systemic and family-level patterns that contribute to racial disparities. The research was funded through mid-2023 under the NIH grant.
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