Still Seeing Color: Post-Racial Sentiment and the Continuing Struggle for Freedom within the African American Community

Faculty Sponsor

Samuel Graber

College

Arts and Sciences

Discipline(s)

Christ College

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 5-2-2015

Abstract

America is often considered to be a post-racial society where race is no longer a significant contributing factor to a person’s ability to lead a successful life. The 2008 election of Barack Obama has been championed as the official end of widespread racial discrimination, especially for the African American community. Since an African American has been able to ascend to the highest position in American society, many White Americans have erroneously assumed that the success of an individual African American is not hindered by race and that any variation in success between Whites and African Americans is due to personal factors. When analyzing the current socioeconomic, educational, and legal barriers that continue to limit the freedoms of African Americans, it becomes clear that America’s post-racial society has fallen short of its aim to rid the country of racial intolerance and privilege and has perpetuated inequality among African Americans. If African Americans are to achieve the freedom they were promised at the end of the Civil Rights Movement, America must discontinue its push to be a post-racial society.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Kelli Chavez is a senior sociology/criminology major who has been interested in social justice issues throughout her time here at Valpo. This project was inspired by the events in Ferguson, MO that occurred during the summer of 2014. Upon graduation, Kelli will be attending the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration, where she hopes to receive an AM degree in social work administration.

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