Dialogues on Race

AASRP Begins New Series
“Dialogues on Race”

This informal series of discussions on race is scheduled for select dates during the Friday lunch hour in room 107 Breckinridge Hall. Each program is designed to explore provocative and controversial issues critical to the African American community. Everyone is invited to bring a brown bag lunch and join with members of the African American Studies and Research Program in viewing a video which will be followed by a discussion. Each program will begin at 12:00 noon. (Limited seating)

October 3 – “Beyond Black and White: Affirmative Action in America”
“All sides of the affirmative action issue have targeted the same goal: ending racism of all types. But do opportunities for some have to come at the expense of others? In this Fred Friendly Seminar moderated by Harvard Law School’s Charles Ogletree, a what-if scenario revolves around a university’s efforts to enroll a diverse student body of qualified candidates.” (From the cassette cover)

November 14 – “Race on Trial”
“Does the American justice system treat people differently based on their race? In this ABC News program, correspondent Michel Martin reports on the startlingly disparate outcomes of two almost-identical drug-related cases tried one after another in a Boston court. In one case, the judge sentenced an African-American defendant with no prior record to prison time on the insistence of the prosecution. In the other case, the prosecution asked for a sentence of drug rehabilitation as opposed to prison time for a white defendant with prior convictions. This provocative program offers a timely assessment of an unfortunately recurring problem in American courtrooms.” (From the cassette cover)

February 6 – “Race: The Power of an Illusion”
“Who is white? In the early 20th century, the answer wasn’t always clear. Often, the courts had to decide, and they resorted to contradictory logic to maintain the color line. After World War II, whiteness increasingly meant owning a home in the suburbs, aided by discriminatory federal policies that helped whites and hindered nonwhites. European “Ethnics,” once considered not quite white, blended together as they reaped the advantages of whiteness including increased equity as property values rose dramatically – while African Americans and other nonwhites were locked out. Today, the average white family has seven times the wealth of the average Black family. Forty years after the Civil Rights movement, the playing field is still not level, and “colorblind” policies only perpetuate these inequalities.” (From the cassette cover)

March 5 – “Women of Color: Too Invisible, Too Silent, For Too Long”
“A provocative and insightful look at the critical issues relevant to the status of women of color, a frequently overlooked segment of our higher education community.” (From the cassette cover)

For more information on these and other activities in AAS, phone 859-257-3593 or stop by room 102 Breckinridge Hall.