This paper, “The Racial State of the Union,” interrogates the role of race and racism in the United States of America. The paper grapples with race conceptually as it explores why racial categories and racial inequality exist in the first place. We also examine the current state of race in North America by laying bare it social, economic and political manifestations. After exploring the magnitude of racial inequality in the United States, we labor to unravel the mechanisms both structurally and culturally that perpetuate and sustain racial disparities. Because racist actions and beliefs have always been resisted by social movements, action, and resistance at the personal level, we assess the nature and outcomes of struggles to overthrow North American racism. We conclude by assessing the current prospects for racial transformation and the possibilities for the emergence of racial equality. Thus, in “The Racial State of the Union” we provide an overarching analysis of the current state of racial dynamics in the United States and the forces determined to dismantle racism.
Race; Racism; Racial regimes; Black movements; United States