Frances A Kemble, Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839. The debate over racial issues is a national pastime and obsession. It is the subject of volumes of books, is highlighted daily in the press, is the central theme of many talk shows and is discussed regularly among scholars and the general public alike. Yet, we are no further in finally reconciling America's racially destructive past with its equally trying present, and questionable future. This legacy of racial tension and the recalcitrant nature of racial division in this country has continued.
Dramatic inequalities remain a key feature of American life.
Social progress on racial issues in terms of addressing overtly exclusionary practices has occurred. Our task here will be a to gain a familiarity with the ideologies, the policies, the populations, and the political actors that shape the debate concerning racial tension and conflict. Additionally, time will be spent unraveling the intricate pattern of relationships that give context and meaning to the interests underpinning the racial debate. As we examine an array of racial issues, we will seek to achieve several results. The first is to have students begin to construct a framework within which they can assess and evaluate complex racial issues.