sociology IR3

African Americans Today

The Issues

SOCY 3020-E01 Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.

Fall 2018

The Debate

 There are plenty of controversial and complex issues affecting the African American community today.

 These issues, factors, circumstances, and systems are constantly debated.

 The Issues

Some of the most pressing issues faced by this minority group are:

 Affirmative Action  Diversity in Schools  Economic Future  How Much Do We Know Each Other  Leadership Roles  Socialization of Media Stereotypes  Political Power and Representation  Race in our Modern Society

Affirmative Action

 Affirmative Action is “the positive effort to recruit subordinate-group members including women for

jobs, promotions, and educational opportunities.” (Schaefer, 2002)

 Some may argue that is still needed, others argue that is no longer needed and that ‘discrimination is

discrimination’ regardless of being positive discrimination.

 Equally important are the questions of what will we do when we reach our equality goal and can we

reach it?

 What are the chances for member of this minority group in our current society with or without

Affirmative Action?

 One argument forwarded by Hugh Price from the Brookins Institution states that:

 “Heightened reliance on quantifiable measure of merit, like SAT and ACT scores, overwhelms

consideration of valid qualitative indices of talent, merit and potential, like drive, determination,

leadership and communications skills.

 This trend has placed African American and Latino youngsters at a decided disadvantage in the

admissions process at highly selective public institutions.”

 The other arguments state that:

 Affirmative action is no longer needed.

 That we have become accustomed to this system.

 That it has been in place for too long.

 Others believe that we have reached that equality goal and the African American middle class has grown

exponentially because of it.

 While others maintain that positive/reverse discrimination is still discrimination.

 So you be the judge:

 Is affirmative action social justice or reverse discrimination?

Diversity in Schools

 The Harvard Civil Rights Project reported that “though the American school system is becoming more

diverse, ethnic groups remain isolated.

 70% of African American students attend predominantly minority schools.

 Whites on average attend schools where more than 80% of the student body is White.”

 How does this affect race relations in the U.S.?

 From a sociological perspective, the proximity principle can be discussed in relation to how we can

create and maintain bonds with people close to us. This in turn can affect how we see race and ethnicity

issues.

 How much diversity and at different levels can have a socializing effect in all of us.

 We also need to consider the effects of forced diversity versus natural diversity.

 Are we more integrated in our schools?

 How far have we come?

 How has integration affected the issue of diversity in schools?

 Are all minority groups benefiting from integration?

 Is this country benefiting from this type of integration?

 As Amy Stuart Wells, Lauren Fox, and Diana Cordova-Cobo (2016) of Teachers College, Columbia

University point out:

 “The benefits of school diversity run in all directions and in turn this makes us smarter.”

 They state that “students’ exposure to other students who are different from themselves leads to

improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem solving.”

 They also note that “96% of major employers say it is important that employees be comfortable working

with colleagues, customers, and/or clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.”

 It can also help to know each other better thus advancing our understanding for one another and our

multicultural experiences as well.

Economic Future

 The general economic picture for African Americans has shown signs of gradual improvement. This has

happened over the last 40 years, but the improvement can be seen as modest when compared to Whites.

(Schaefer, 2002).

 However, more recently we can see that even though unemployment rates affects this group, income and

education levels have increased as well.

 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013) “about 84 percent of jobs fall into three categories:

high school diploma or equivalent (39%), less education than a high school diploma (27%), and

bachelor’s degree (18%).” (www.bls.gov)

 Therefore it is of paramount importance to improve the academic levels of African American, and all

other children alike.

 The key to this will be education.

 Even though 2015 data from the Department of Education shows a small increase in graduation rates for

minority students since 2010, the numbers of African American males graduating from high school is

decreasing.

 This is a serious problem that we all should be concerned about.

 There are plenty of inner city schools that are successfully educating and sending boys and girls from

different challenging socio-economic backgrounds to college.

 Other schools still struggle and do not meet this goal the same way.

 As we know in these modern times, education is a key social factor that cannot be ignored.

 However, this factor is sometimes highly ignored in this country (one of the richest countries in the

world) and in this culture.

 Analphabetism (illiteracy) and lack of educational opportunities are social realities that we sometimes

prefer to obviate from our collective consciousness, rather than tackle head on.

How Much Do We Know Each Other

 How well do we know each other? (At arm’s length still?)

 Does knowing and interacting with each other help solve racial issues and build bridges across different

groups?

 Can this help majority-minority interaction and foment understanding? (Maybe even tolerance?)

 How about improving relations between other competing minority groups and African Americans?

 It can be a contested argument that race relations in this country have progressed, but plenty of recent

events may make us reevaluate this claim.

 Even though the African American middle class may be growing and different opportunities are

available to different minority members we are also experiencing what many social experts consider

another civil rights movement for African Americans.

 This one maybe at a different scale but for very similar goals.

 Solidarity, unity, understanding and coming together as a society can have a very positive effect on

racial reconciliation.

Leadership Models

 Do leadership models have to revolve around sports figures and/or entertainment figures?

 Do we need other leadership models, other leadership figures?

 What makes someone a good role model? Which organizations should we model?

 It can be said that due to African Americans making way and achieving different goals in many different

aspects and areas of modern life different leadership models have risen as well.

 Aside from the obvious example of “The former leader of the free world” was Barack Obama as

president of this country some key figures of this new model of representation also include: Michelle

Obama, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Dr. Cornel West, Cynthia McKinney, Rev. Al Sharpton, and

Jesse Jackson.

 Do they all have to belong to the socio-political arena to take the notion of leadership seriously? Can we

accept social leadership through other figures in other arenas?

 Some members of the African American community believe that the White media is choosing these

leader figures.

 If true, how does this influence race relations in this country?

 Another equally important perspective is that we also need to observe and value the people right in front

of us. Not only the celebrities, or the rappers, or the actors, or the athletes.

 Instead, we may want to share the spotlight on our school principals, the people working hard for after-

school programs, community leaders, community activists, civil rights defenders, and many other

positive and influential figures.

Media Stereotypes

 How do you see media stereotypes nowadays?

 Do you consider them positive representations or negative stereotypes?

 Are media stereotypes full of micro-aggressions?

 What about minority women in the media? What about African American women?

 Can we discern between entertainment and the real world?

 Are we still holding on to older but pervasive African American stereotypes?

Political Power

 November 2008 and 2012 came and we saw a major and historic social and political accomplishment for

this country and in this society.

 Political Power

 So Obama took office and even got reelected. Now what? Is that it? Are we done with this social

institution and race relations in this country?

 What did we prove as a society? Was it more of a social victory, was it the chosen political path, or

both?

 Did we see Obama as the “Black President” or just “the President?”

 What about his Caucasian side, especially since he is a half White and half Black individual. Are we so

obstinate to obtain progress that we sometimes can conveniently forget half his heritage and only focus

on what we wish to celebrate in order to feel like a better and more advanced society?

 We currently celebrate the most diverse U.S. Congress in the history of this country.

 Currently the 115th United States Congress includes 49 African American members of The House out of

a total of 435 representatives (about 10%).

 The current U.S. Senate includes three African American members occupying three of its 100 seats

(3%). (Sen. Tim Scott (R) SC, Sen. Cory Booker (D) NJ, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D) CA).

Race in the 21st Century

 In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois wrote, “the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color-line.”

 What do you think about this statement?

 How do we tackle the problem of the color-line?

 Many are not too hopeful that the problem of the color line will be resolved in the 21st century.

 However, some are more optimistic that as we become more diverse that this in turn will help with these

issues as we move on into the future.

 Some aspects of social life will change for the betterment of this group and society as a whole while

others aspects, institutions, or systems may see little and/or slow change.

 The economy will always be an influential factor for employment, housing, family life, education,

politics, health care, and the criminal justice system among others.

 Racism, prejudice, and discrimination will continue to be at the center of the issues as well.

Food for Thought

 Whether you decide to take sides or you decide to integrate the different perspectives do not lose sight

that these are debatable modern issues that African Americans face today.

 You do not need to be African American to think about these issues, to interpret them, or debate them.

If you are a social scientist you need to be aware of these issues and be prepared to deal with them since

this minority group is one of the most influential groups in our society.

 If you are not a social scientist then it never hurts to educate yourself in these issues so you can be a

productive member of society with respect to, at least, racial relations.