Susan.

You wrote that:

"There has been such a lack, historically, of white folk owning up to what had been done and still is done, that people of color and their allies have gotten into a habit of assuming that wrong is either happening or just on the verge of happening. It's expressed as "sounds racist to me" and I am sure it feels very accusatory, but it's actually an expression of fear. "I'm scared, do I need to be?" It never quite feels safe enough to even name it as a fear. It masquerades as vigilance, but it's fear. And remember-- an often-justified fear."

As a person of color speaking for myself, "fear" didn't and doesnpt at all factor into my response and analysis of this tradition.
Though I appreciate your intent,if I understand you correctly, I'm not sure that your fear premise is valid for people of color and our "allies"

In this thread I wrote that I found the customs described about Afro wig wearing, faced blackened, minstrel singing folks to be offensive and insensitive..

You will note that in none of my previous posts have I ever said nor have I implied that these people were racist..I don't think they are..

And I'm not afraid.

Azizi