Insulting Compliments

Today I had the chance to speak with the Faculty Senate Steering Committee about an idea near and dear to my heart: Information Literacy.  We wanted to talk to them about supporting our idea of having information literacy be stranded throughout the core curriculum.  I had a presentation ready, but didn't have that much time, so I went with a brief description, shared a handout and opened the floor for questions.  After about 5 minutes, I left feeling as if I had done well and that we had received the support of this group.

Then someone else who was in that meeting stopped by to chat as it was near quitting time, and he told me that the committee had really liked me and that they thought I was very eloquent.  I was glad they liked me and yes, glad I had come across as eloquent, but it wasn't the word that bothered me - it was how it was put.  The implication was that the committee was surprised that I was eloquent.  I spoke with someone who has been there longer than myself, and they let me know that it happens all the time.  They were surprised that, as a black woman, I could speak eloquently and intelligently about a topic. 

I was saddened by this.  I've had it happen before, the implied "for a black person" that is silently added to a sentence.  Not everyone hears it, but once you do, you never forget it and it becomes so clear when it continues to happen.  A true compliment would have been if they had said that they were impressed by my knowledge of the topic and my ability to explain it to them.  Am I being overly sensitive?  I don't think I am this time.  There is a pattern and a way of thinking and acting that I've seen before.  You never forget it, though you wish you could.

I hope this post is eloquent enough.  You know, for a black person.