The End of Racism

xi, 724 pp. "Where once we spoke only of racist acts or individuals, Americans have now become accustomed to hearing their country described as a racist society. That view, widely accepted by the media, has produced a mood of cultural despair about the very possibility of racial progress. ...Is racial prejudice innate, or is it culturally acquired? Is it particular to the West, or is it found in all societies? What is the legacy of slavery, and what does America owe blacks as compensation for it? Did the civil rights movement succeed or fail in its attempt to overcome the legacy of segragation and racism? Is there such a thing as rational discrimination? Can persons of color be racist? Is racism really the most serious problem facing black Americans today, or is it a declining phenomenon? If racism had a beginning, shouldn't it be possible to envision its end?"