L18: Race in 2012: Are We A Post-Racial America?

1. L18: Race in 2012: Are We A Post-Racial America? Equality and Hierarchy: The African American Experience • Agenda • Objective: • To evaluate whether we live in a post-racial America in 2012. • Schedule: • Group Discussion, Analysis, and Digital Collage Homework: Consult Unit Schedule. Reminder: 1. Sign Up for Interview 2. Unit Test (Tan = Mon; Red & Blue = Tues)

2. Defining Post-Racial • To describe America as a post-racial society is to see that the nation has become devoid of racial preference, discrimination, and prejudice. • Some Americans believe that the election of Barack Obama signifies that the nation has become post-racial. • Others believe that the continuation of race-based violence like the Trayvon Martin case, or the use of racist language in the recent presidential campaigns, proves we have not moved beyond race as a meaningful source of social distinction.

3. Do We Live in a Post-Racial America? • Your task for today will be to evaluate whether we live in a post-racial America. • Specifically you will… • Break up into groups of 4-5 • Explore and discuss the question of whether we live in a post-racial society. • Visit major news websites to get a sense of their take: CNN, MSNBC< Fox, Rush Limbaugh, etc. • Write a paragraph answering the above question • You must have a thesis statement and 3 pieces of specific evidence • Create a digital collage of your argument & evidence. • Random Side Note: • Check out this segment from MSNBC’s Politics Nation http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45755884/ (Inside the GOP Playbook) • Host Rev. Al Sharpton talks about the emergence of the “Southern Strategy” among conservatives and how segregationist language became replaced with language about law and order and welfare --- how coding for race emerges. It is relevant to our discussion of The New Jim Crow