RACISM + POLITICS

“Post Racial Society” Was Never An Honest Portrayal of America

We’ve failed to vanquish racism. So why do so many insist we have?

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Since electing Barack Obama as America’s 44th President, many argued that we’re currently living in a post-racial society. But, maintaining that perspective requires collective historical amnesia. One successful Black candidate after 232 years doesn’t seem like progress from a mathematical standpoint. Based on these odds, for every election, a White male candidate has a 97.78% of becoming President of the United States. While some people claiming we live in a post-racial society are engaged in a bit of wishful thinking, many use this terminology to detract from the racism Black people experience — they’re trying to bury the lede.

If America were a post-racial society, someone’s racial identity would not impact their lived experiences. Access to educational, healthcare, and professional opportunities would be more or less equal, across racial groups, and Black citizens would receive fair treatment within the criminal justice system. However, in today’s America, the cookie doesn’t crumble evenly.

And despite Reaganomics folklore, white privilege doesn’t trickle down. According to data collected by the Department of Education…