Question 1

In its origin, accenting the institutional and systemic racism that undergirds individual acts of discrimination mostly stems from a long line of African American scholars and activists, going back centuries.

Accepted Answer

The focus on institutional and systemic racism, highlighting how these structures underpin individual acts of discrimination, has indeed been a central theme in the work of African American scholars and activists for centuries. These individuals have consistently pointed out that racism is not just a matter of personal prejudice but is embedded in the institutions and systems that govern society, affecting everything from legal systems and law enforcement to education and housing.

Question 2

A critical institutional-racism perspective remains the most important approach to understanding well the depths of the U.S. system of racial hostility and discrimination.

Accepted Answer

A critical institutional-racism perspective focuses on systemic and structural factors that perpetuate racial inequality, providing a comprehensive understanding of racial issues in the U.S.

Question 3

Since the early 2000s, top U.S. officials have participated in two important UN world conferences dealing with major racism issues, including issues of reparations for U.S. slavery.

Accepted Answer

While U.S. officials have participated in UN conferences, they have often boycotted those specifically dealing with racism and reparations for slavery, citing concerns over anti-Israel sentiments and disagreements over the agenda.

Question 4

Recently, key United Nations officials and organizations have given the U.S. very negative reviews of its contemporary patterns of discrimination, including racial profiling and the resurgence of white nationalism.

Accepted Answer

Various United Nations committees and special rapporteurs have indeed criticized the United States for its ongoing issues with racial discrimination, racial profiling, and the rise of white nationalism, highlighting concerns over systemic racism and the need for comprehensive measures to address these issues.

Question 5

Research studies suggest that a sense of white superiority or virtue, however dim, is part of the consciousness of most whites, including those who are relatively liberal on numerous racial matters.

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology and sociology suggests that many white individuals, including those who consider themselves liberal or progressive on racial issues, may still harbor unconscious biases or a sense of superiority. This is often due to societal conditioning and the pervasive nature of systemic racism, which can influence attitudes and beliefs even among those who consciously reject racist ideologies.

Question 6

Recall the research by Joe Feagin and Leslie Picca that involved gathering brief semester journals from 626 white students at various colleges and universities. These student journals indicate that even whites who make extremely racist comments or engage in highly racist actions are frequently viewed by other whites as doing something relatively harmless.

Accepted Answer

Feagin and Picca's research, which introduced the concept of the "white racial frame," found that white students often perceive racist comments and actions by their peers as harmless or as jokes, highlighting a normalization of racism within certain white social circles.

Question 7

Half or more of African Americans say that they have been personally discriminated against when interacting with police because they are black.

Accepted Answer

Surveys and studies, including those by Pew Research Center, have consistently shown that a significant portion of African Americans report experiencing discrimination in interactions with police, attributing it to their racial background.

Question 8

More than half of African Americans say that they have been personally discriminated against when applying for jobs because they are black.

Accepted Answer

Surveys and studies, including those from reputable sources like Pew Research Center, have consistently shown that a significant portion of African Americans report experiencing discrimination in various aspects of life, including job applications, due to their race.

Question 9

More than half of African Americans say that they have been personally discriminated against when considered for promotions because they are black.

Accepted Answer

Surveys and studies, including those from reputable sources like Pew Research Center, have consistently shown that a significant portion of African Americans report experiencing discrimination in the workplace, including being overlooked for promotions due to their race.

Question 10

A little less than half of African Americans say they or a family member have been treated unfairly by the court system because they are black.

Accepted Answer

According to various surveys and studies, a significant portion of African Americans report experiencing or perceiving racial bias within the judicial system, indicating that the statement aligns with reported experiences and perceptions of unfair treatment based on race.

Question 11

"The state" is a relatively impersonal or unbiased terrain over which numerous racial groups compete today for political and social power.

Accepted Answer

The concept of "the state" as an impersonal or unbiased terrain is contested; many argue that the state can perpetuate systemic biases and inequalities, influencing how different racial groups access political and social power.

Question 12

The number of black elected officials has increased from a few dozen in the 1960s to several thousand today.

Accepted Answer

This increase is due to the civil rights movement's successes, which led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other measures that removed barriers to political participation for African Americans, resulting in a significant rise in the number of black elected officials over the decades.

Question 13

Until the 1960s, most efforts aimed at reducing the number of voters of color were by operatives connected to the Republican Party.

Accepted Answer

Until the 1960s, efforts aimed at reducing the number of voters of color were primarily associated with operatives connected to the Democratic Party, especially in the Southern United States, where Jim Crow laws were enacted to enforce racial segregation and disenfranchisement.

Question 14

In the campaigns of Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon in the 1960s, voter-restriction activities were increasingly undertaken by Republican operatives.

Accepted Answer

During the 1960s, particularly in the campaigns of Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon, there was a strategic shift within the Republican Party towards appealing to Southern white voters and implementing tactics that could restrict minority voting, a strategy that became part of the broader Southern Strategy. This included efforts to limit the political power of African Americans and other minorities, who were more likely to vote for Democratic candidates.

Question 15

Researchers find very little intentional voter fraud across the U.S.

Accepted Answer

Numerous studies and investigations have found that intentional voter fraud is extremely rare in the United States, with incidents being statistically insignificant in the context of the total votes cast.

Question 16

In recent elections, political operatives have mailed false information about voting qualifications to deter black and Latino voters.

Accepted Answer

There have been documented instances where political operatives have disseminated misleading or false information about voting qualifications and procedures, targeting minority communities such as Black and Latino voters, in efforts to suppress their participation in elections.

Question 17

After being bound by a consent decree for 35 years, as of 2018 the Republican National Committee is free to continue its "ballot security" campaign.

Accepted Answer

The consent decree that had restricted the Republican National Committee's (RNC) ability to engage in certain "ballot security" activities expired in 2018, allowing them to resume such efforts without the constraints of the decree.

Question 18

Since the 1980s, the Democratic Party's elected officials have consistently increased the input of citizens of color in regard to important state and national policymaking to a truly representative level.

Accepted Answer

While the Democratic Party has made efforts to increase the input of citizens of color in policymaking since the 1980s, it is debated whether this input has reached a "truly representative level" due to ongoing issues of underrepresentation and systemic barriers in political processes.

Question 19

In a 2013 decision, the conservative Republican majority on the Supreme Court severely weakened the U.S. Voting Rights Act by, in effect, removing federal surveillance over political jurisdictions with histories of creating racist barriers for voters of color.

Accepted Answer

In 2013, the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder effectively weakened the Voting Rights Act by ruling that the coverage formula used to determine which jurisdictions required federal preclearance before changing their voting laws was outdated and unconstitutional, thus removing a key enforcement mechanism of the Act. This decision has had significant implications for voting rights, particularly in jurisdictions with histories of discriminatory practices.

Question 20

In a 2007 decision, the Supreme Court's conservative majority greatly weakened the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision by deciding that the local school systems in Seattle and Louisville could not make use of any racial markers along with several other factors to increase the desegregation of de facto segregated high schools on a voluntary basis.

Accepted Answer

The 2007 Supreme Court decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 did indeed limit the use of race in school assignment plans, marking a significant moment in the interpretation and application of policies aimed at desegregating schools, thus impacting the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education.

Quiz 5: Racial Oppression Today: Everyday Practice