Post-Racial Society Since Barack Obama\'s

¶ … Post-Racial Society

Since Barack Obama's election, many people have suggested that the U.S. is a post-racial society. While it would be tempting to proclaim that race is no longer an issue in modern America, to prematurely declare race as a non-issue could threaten the advances that have occurred in race relations and equality. In fact, it could set back racial advances significantly, much as occurred in the post-Reconstruction South. However, if America is a post-racial society, then it is time to put away the tools that have been used to help achieve racial equality, such as affirmative action. There are many different ways to investigate racial equality in America. However, one of the most pervasive badges of servitude was the economic inequality experienced by African-Americans. In fact, being economically disadvantaged has life-long consequences, because it impacts access to education, nutrition, and adequate healthcare. In fact, even if every other indicator of racism has been eradicated, such as feelings of prejudice; overt discrimination; and disparate arrest, prosecution, and sentencing, if blacks are still economically disadvantaged when compared to whites, then it would be premature to consider society post-racial.

This research project will investigate whether the economic status of blacks has risen to the same level as the economic status of whites in the ten years since the last census. The project will rely on data from the 2010 census and directly compare results from the census 10 years ago. At that time, it was clear that African-Americans were economically disadvantaged when compared to whites, "

The percentage of African-American families living below the federal poverty level ($17,603 annual income for a family of four) in 1999 was 22.9, compared to 8.4 for whites" (Statistics and Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2005). Moreover, the paper will examine other harbingers of economic robustness in addition to income, including net worth, income ranges, and unemployment rates. If America is post-racial, then blacks should be proportionately represented in the top 5% of wealthiest people and have median economic assets equal to those of whites, not simply have equal salaries. In the past, there has been a tremendous disparity, not only in income, but in asset ownership between the races. Moreover, in 2001, the median household income for White non-Hispanic households was $46,305, but only $29,470 for black households. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009). Obviously, in 2001, America was not a post-racial society when it came to income. Comparing official census results from the census immediately prior to Obama's election and the census immediately following Obama's election will give a good idea whether American society has really transformed into a post-racial society, or whether the election of an African-American President is simply one step in that transformation.