Race and Beyond

In this series

Trump’s Avoidance of Black Press Reveals Tense Relations
White House Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison Omarosa Manigault, right, walks past President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, March 2017. (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Article

Trump’s Avoidance of Black Press Reveals Tense Relations

In the black press’ dealings with the new administration, as throughout its history, it struggles for respect from public officials while pressing for responses to readers’ concerns.

Paul Delaney

Stop Playing Politics with People’s Lives
A University of Maryland Medical Center infection control specialist inspects the catheter on a shock trauma center patient on November 17, 2010, in Baltimore. (AP/Rob Carr)
Article

Stop Playing Politics with People’s Lives

We need a health care system that delivers care with compassion and guards the right to affordable, effective health care.

Taison Bell

Reproductive Justice Beyond Biology
A woman walks on a street in Baltimore, February 6, 2012. (AP/Patrick Semansky)
Article

Reproductive Justice Beyond Biology

Loretta J. Ross on the need for a more comprehensive understanding of how public policies affecting a woman’s autonomy over her body have implications beyond just issues of birth control, abortion, and sterilization.

Loretta J. Ross

A Black History Lesson for the Ages
President Donald Trump meets with leaders of historically black colleges and universities in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, February 27, 2017. ((AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais))
Article

A Black History Lesson for the Ages

A group of HBCU presidents failed to share their history of struggle with the president but endured grossly out-of-touch remarks from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and an embarrassing photo op as Black History Month ends.

Sam Fulwood III

President Trump Has Cheapened the Dignity of His Office
A woman holds up her cell phone before a rally with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in Bedford, New Hampshire, September 29, 2016. ((AP/John Locher))
Article

President Trump Has Cheapened the Dignity of His Office

The president’s recent comments and behavior serve to undermine the nation’s democratic ideals and foster a creeping sense of nihilism about the institutions that serve public interests.

Sam Fulwood III

The Real Effect of Trump’s Muslim Ban
Abdullah Alghazali, right, hugs his 13-year-old son Ali Abdullah Alghazali after the Yemeni boy arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, February 5, 2017. (AP/Alexander F. Yuan)
Article

The Real Effect of Trump’s Muslim Ban

President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban keeps innocent people from traveling to the United States, but does little to make the United States safer.

Sam Fulwood III

Bending Toward Justice
People walk past a mural of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Katlehong, south of Johannesburg, South Africa, May 2015. ((AP/Themba Hadebe))
Article

Bending Toward Justice

The rise of Donald Trump possesses parallels to apartheid South Africa—but the best course of action in the face of dangerous political setbacks is to stand in unwavering opposition at every turn.

Sam Fulwood III

The Complex American Response to Castro’s Death
Cuban President Fidel Castro, right, and South African leader Nelson Mandela celebrate the Day of the Revolution in Matanzas, Cuba, on July 27, 1991. (AP)
Article

The Complex American Response to Castro’s Death

Varying reactions to Castro’s death offer a somber reminder that oppression and opportunity, often coded by ethnicity and race, are not always clear-cut diametric opposites.

Sam Fulwood III

The Ambitious Activism of Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen speaks at the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games on July 25, 2015, in Los Angeles. (AP/Rich Fury)
Article

The Ambitious Activism of Debbie Allen

At a recent CAP event, award-winning entertainer Debbie Allen discussed her latest project, “Freeze Frame,” and her hope that it will lead to action in the fight against gun violence.

Sam Fulwood III

Where Are the Gifted and Talented Black Students?
High school students attend a statistics class at Westlake High School in Atlanta, on June 13, 2013. (AP/Jaime Henry-White)
Article

Where Are the Gifted and Talented Black Students?

Social and institutional barriers are keeping African American students from the ranks of gifted and talented programs.

Naomi Kellogg

Hate and Discrimination in the Wake of September 11
The Tribute in Light rises above the lower Manhattan skyline on September 10, 2016, in New York. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

Hate and Discrimination in the Wake of September 11

The association of Muslims with terrorists in the wake of the 9/11 attacks continues to affect the nation in myriad ways.

Anumita Kaur

Stepping Away from Racism
A congregation member prays at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, June 3, 2012. (AP/Gerald Herbert)
Article

Stepping Away from Racism

Purging prejudice from the pews will move America closer toward a long overdue racial reconciliation.

Sam Fulwood III

Why Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Matters
A Georgia Department of Labor services specialist helps a woman with a job search at an unemployment office in Atlanta on March 3, 2016. (AP/David Goldman)
Article

Why Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Matters

Wage equality is a key issue for Millennials. But for young black women, it is not only a concern, it is a determining factor in their quality of life.

Gabrielle Bozarth, Naomi Kellogg

Police Gone Wild
Police advance toward protestors as a store burns following the funeral of Freddie Gray on April 27, 2015, in Baltimore. (AP/Patrick Semansky)
Article

Police Gone Wild

The U.S. Department of Justice’s report on Baltimore chronicles yet another police department that routinely abused its power and violated the civil rights of African Americans.

Sam Fulwood III

When Words Fail Us
Protesters link arms as they block an intersection in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta during a march against the recent police shootings of African Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016. (AP/David Goldman)
Article

When Words Fail Us

Practical policy reforms—not just more conversation—are needed to address the recent violence between police and the African American community.

Sam Fulwood III

The Greatest of All Time
Muhammad Ali peers over a copy of his autobiography,
Article

The Greatest of All Time

Muhammad Ali stood 6 feet 3 inches with a 78-inch reach—but that is only the tale of the tape. In truth, his reach was immeasurable.

Sam Fulwood III

In Response to the Unknown and Faceless
Trolls come out from their dark, hidden spaces to write all sorts of nasty comments that they dare not say in public or in polite company.
Article

In Response to the Unknown and Faceless

A recent “Race and Beyond” column about Pat Buchanan got the attention of readers from all corners of the Internet, and many of the responses, while negative, are nonetheless eye-opening.

Sam Fulwood III

When Home Disappears
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx speaks at the Center for American Progress on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. (CAP)
Article

When Home Disappears

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx hopes to build a transportation system that works for everyone.

Sam Fulwood III

When Public Figures Normalize Hate
Muslim women pray outside the White House on February 13, 2015, after the murder of three young North Carolina Muslims. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
Article

When Public Figures Normalize Hate

When public figures use their platforms for hate speech, they become responsible for normalizing feelings of bigotry that can lead to hate crimes against innocent individuals.

Sanam Malik

Protecting America from Racism in the Water
In this February 3, 2015, photo, Lemott Thomas carries free water being distributed at the Lincoln Park United Methodist Church in Flint, Michigan. (AP/Paul Sancya)
Article

Protecting America from Racism in the Water

The Flint water crisis highlights the continuing disparities that people of color face in finding access to fair housing and healthy communities.

Danyelle Solomon, Tracey Ross

Why #OscarsSoWhite Matters
John Krasinski, left, and Cheryl Boone Isaacs announce the Academy Award nominations for best performance by an actor in a leading role on January 14, 2016. (AP/Chris Pizzello)
Article

Why #OscarsSoWhite Matters

The film industry exercises a huge amount of influence on perceptions of success in America—or the lack thereof.

Sam Fulwood III

On Hope, Change, and Having Kids
President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, January 12, 2016. (AP/Evan Vucci)
Article

On Hope, Change, and Having Kids

While some of the optimism surrounding President Barack Obama’s election remains, he is leaving office in a less hopeful climate than when he entered.

Claire Markham

Saving the Best for Last
President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Januray 12, 2016. (AP/Evan Vucci)
Article

Saving the Best for Last

President Obama’s final State of the Union address challenged voters to do the hard work of fulfilling the American promise.

Sam Fulwood III

When a ‘Race Problem’ Becomes a Social Challenge
Students cheer following the resignation of University of Missouri system President Tim Wolfe in Columbia, Missouri, on November 9, 2015. (AP/Jeff Roberson)
Article

When a ‘Race Problem’ Becomes a Social Challenge

Recent high-profile incidents of racism on U.S. college campuses highlight long-term realities for students of color and help reframe the purpose of higher education in the face of demographic shifts.

Sam Fulwood III

The Myth of Police Reluctance
Protesters kneel down with their hands up in front of police officers in Los Angeles, California, on November 26, 2014. (AP/Damian Dovarganes)
Article

The Myth of Police Reluctance

Despite claims to the contrary, there is no evidence to suggest that the “Hands Up” movement has caused the police to stand down.

Sam Fulwood III

Putin Should Not Throw Stones
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the 70th session of the U.N. General Assembly on September 28, 2015. (AP/Mary Altaffer)
Article

Putin Should Not Throw Stones

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent comments about the unrest in Ferguson highlight why the United States must work to address its own shortcomings as it promotes democracy abroad.

Sam Fulwood III

The ‘Clock Kid’ Incident Is a Small Part of a Bigger Problem
Ahmed Mohamed and his father thank supporters during a news conference in Irving, Texas. Ahmed was arrested last week after a teacher thought a homemade clock he built was a bomb. (AP/Brandon Wade)
Article

The ‘Clock Kid’ Incident Is a Small Part of a Bigger Problem

The recent experience of Muslim American high school student Ahmed Mohamed sheds light on the much bigger issue of Islamophobia in the United States today.

Sanam Malik

The Enduring Legacy of Julian Bond
Former NAACP Chairman Julian Bond takes part in the
Article

The Enduring Legacy of Julian Bond

The fight for racial justice and equality will not end with the death of leading civil rights activist and visionary Julian Bond.

Sam Fulwood III

White Privilege in the Age of Ferguson
Protesters march to the Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse on August 10, 2015, in St. Louis, Missouri. (AP)
Article

White Privilege in the Age of Ferguson

One year after Michael Brown’s death, white allies must move past simply acknowledging their privilege and instead focus their energy on true anti-racist action.

Meredith Lukow

Remembering Oak Creek
People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek. (AP/Tom Lynn)
Article

Remembering Oak Creek

The three-year anniversary of the mass shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, highlights the resilience, unity, and positivity of this often misunderstood religious community.

Anisha Singh

Expanding Protections for LGBT People Strengthens Protections for Us All
People celebrate Pride Month at NYC Pride, June 28, 2015, in New York. (AP/Jason DeCrow)
Article

Expanding Protections for LGBT People Strengthens Protections for Us All

New legislation to amend existing federal nondiscrimination laws to expressly include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans will fortify and further protect the freedoms and rights of all Americans.

Laura E. Durso, Sarah McBride

Atticus Finch and Bill Cosby—Fallen Heroes?
Gregory Peck is shown as attorney Atticus Finch in a scene from the 1962 movie
Article

Atticus Finch and Bill Cosby—Fallen Heroes?

The world that real and imaginary celebrities occupy is a messy and complex place. Heroes have no place to hide their shortcomings in the age of social media and diminished personal secrets.

Sam Fulwood III

Examining White Privilege
A statue memorializing the Confederacy spray-painted with the message
Article

Examining White Privilege

A conversation with scholar Peggy McIntosh helps shed light on how public awareness of the benefits of being born white has evolved over the years.

Sam Fulwood III

Taking Down a Symbol of Hate
A group called
Article

Taking Down a Symbol of Hate

While removing the Confederate flag from outside the South Carolina State Capitol building is an appropriate and necessary response to recent events, is it enough to change Americans’ hearts?

Sam Fulwood III

Progressive Groups Must Reflect the Ideals They Champion
People take part in a candlelight vigil in Ferguson, Missouri, March 12, 2015. (AP/Jeff Roberson)
Article

Progressive Groups Must Reflect the Ideals They Champion

Progressive organizations need diverse leaders and staffs from the communities that they support if they are to accomplish their ambitious goals. A more just management structure can help us get there.

Sarah Audelo

Choosing Our Words Carefully
Waco Police Sgt. Patrick Swanton addresses the media as law enforcement continues to investigate the motorcycle gang related shooting on May 18, 2015, at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas. (AP/Jerry Larson)
Article

Choosing Our Words Carefully

Two recent events—the shootout in Waco, Texas, and the protests in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray—highlight how the media’s language choices differ based on race.

Sam Fulwood III

Looking for a Way Forward After the Unrest in Baltimore
Demonstrators cheer in the intersection of West North and Pennsylvania avenues in Baltimore on May 2, 2015, one of the sites of that week's rioting, as they march a day after charges were announced against the police officers involved in Freddie Gray's death. (AP/David Goldman)
Article

Looking for a Way Forward After the Unrest in Baltimore

Guest columnist John Halpin discusses how American institutions need to reinvest in Baltimore, as well as in other urban centers.

John Halpin

The Roots of Baltimore’s Unrest
Video

The Roots of Baltimore’s Unrest

In this video column, Sam Fulwood III examines the underlying roots of the discontent in Baltimore, Ferguson, and dozens of other American communities.

Andrew Satter, Sam Fulwood III

Why Does Racism Surprise Us?
University of Oklahoma students march to the now-closed Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house during a rally on March 10, 2015. (AP/Sue Ogrocki)
Article

Why Does Racism Surprise Us?

The recently revealed racist video filmed at a University of Oklahoma fraternity event is simply a reflection of America’s larger societal problems.

Sam Fulwood III

Diversity Is Coming to a Town Near You
Children in a prekindergarten class recite the pledge of allegiance at the start of the school day in Tacoma, Washington. (AP/Ted Warren)
Article

Diversity Is Coming to a Town Near You

A new Center for American Progress report considers America’s race and ethnic shift and the far-reaching policy implications of this demographic change.

Sam Fulwood III

When Words Are Used as Weapons
Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh talks with other guests at a White House event on January 13, 2009. (AP/Ron Edmonds)
Article

When Words Are Used as Weapons

While the importance of free speech cannot be understated, the amount of negativity we observe and consume on a daily basis threatens to undermine the quality of civic life.

Sam Fulwood III

America’s Dearth of Open-Mindedness
People walk by a mural on a boarded-up business on November 25, 2014, in south St. Louis, Missouri. (AP/Jeff Roberson)
Article

America’s Dearth of Open-Mindedness

Our slide into a so-called “opinion nation” has made it nearly impossible to find common ground, which will become increasingly necessary as the country becomes more diverse.

Sam Fulwood III

Is Trouble in Ferguson a Design Failure of its Government Structure?
People protest for Michael Brown Jr., who was killed by police on August 9 in Ferguson, Missouri. (AP/Charlie Riedel)
Article

Is Trouble in Ferguson a Design Failure of its Government Structure?

The chaos in Missouri is not the fault of any single individual but rather that of its racial history and failed system of convoluted bureaucratic governance.

Eric Garland

How to (Not) Get Away with Being Out of Touch
Shonda Rhimes arrives at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Third Annual Television Academy Honors in Beverly Hills, California, Wednesday, May 5, 2010. (AP/Chris Pizzello)
Article

How to (Not) Get Away with Being Out of Touch

The recent firestorm over a New York Times preview of television’s “How to Get Away With Murder” highlights the fact that pop culture now has the tools to take racial insensitivity to task.

Sam Fulwood III

Are (Black) Female Academics Ignored?
A teacher keeps an eye on children playing at Magical Beginnings Learning Academy in Middleton, Massachusetts, May 2020. (Getty/The Boston Globe/John Tlumacki)
Article

Are (Black) Female Academics Ignored?

The anthropologist who coined the phrase “the burden of acting white” argues that male experts have misunderstood her work as she’s been overlooked in the public debate over her research.

Signithia Fordham

The Surprises of a Changing Nation
Eduardo Simenta of Mexico, raises his hand as he recites the Oath of Allegiance at a Naturalization Ceremony in Oklahoma City. (AP/Sue Ogrocki)
Article

The Surprises of a Changing Nation

As the nation’s demographics continue to shift, Americans living in homogenous regions may be shocked as the racial and ethnic makeups of their communities change.

Sam Fulwood III

Why Do We Have Gridlocked Government?
Dark clouds surround the Capitol dome on Capitol Hill. (AP/Alex Brandon)
Article

Why Do We Have Gridlocked Government?

By refusing to live outside their comfort zones and to express empathy for their fellow citizens, Americans empower a minority of harsh voices—on both the right and the left—to strangle our shared sense of community.

Sam Fulwood III

The Possibilities of a Changed Life
A prisoner sits in the yard of the state prison in Jackson, Georgia. (AP/David Goldman)
Article

The Possibilities of a Changed Life

Desmond Meade’s story—and those of millions like him—should inspire us to question our policies about how formerly incarcerated people are treated when they return to society.

Sam Fulwood III

Good News: America Graduates Record Level of High School Students
Graduates from Joplin High School listen to speakers during commencement ceremonies in Joplin, MO in May 2012. (AP/Charlie Riedel)
Article

Good News: America Graduates Record Level of High School Students

Even for the one in five students who fail to earn a diploma, hope abounds for the future. By listening carefully to those who have fallen along the way, we will hear what it takes to help at-risk students stay the course toward finishing high school.

Sam Fulwood III

Rethinking Affirmative Action
People walk on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Article

Rethinking Affirmative Action

In her new book, law professor Sheryll Cashin considers the implications of location for education and race in 21st-century America.

Sam Fulwood III

The Conundrum of White-Male Privilege
Peggy McIntosh coined the phrase “invisible knapsack” as a metaphor for the benefits white Americans disproportionately carry compared with black and other Americans of color. (Flickr/spyker3292)
Article

The Conundrum of White-Male Privilege

Those who possess life advantages rarely acknowledge that they have favored status, which makes them all the more unwilling to surrender their privilege without a fight.

Sam Fulwood III

Calling Foul Against Racism in the NBA
Los Angeles Clippers players listen to the national anthem wearing their warmup jerseys inside out to protest alleged racial remarks by team owner Donald Sterling before Game 4 of an opening-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, April 27, 2014, in Oakland, California. (AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Article

Calling Foul Against Racism in the NBA

The swift reaction to the vile comments of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling highlights how professional sports organizations must respond to racism in the 21st century.

Sam Fulwood III

P. Diddy Commences a Debate
Sean
Article

P. Diddy Commences a Debate

Critics of Howard University’s choice of commencement speaker fail to see how his artistic and business successes have inspired a generation of Americans.

Devon Rollins

When BBQ Meets Diversity
Spectators watch a musical performance at the Fiesta del Pueblo festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. (AP/Jim R. Bounds)
Article

When BBQ Meets Diversity

How the simple act of sitting down to a traditional North Carolina meal highlighted the demographic shift that is changing the face and tastes of America.

Sam Fulwood III

In Pursuit of Equitable Change
This residential Brooklyn neighborhood is the site of the proposed $4 billion Atlantic Yards project, which some residents fear will destroy the neighborhood, while others welcome the change and hope it will bring long-awaited gentrification to the area. (AP/Kathy Willens)
Article

In Pursuit of Equitable Change

When it comes to gentrification, doing the right thing requires finding common ground that thoughtfully considers the needs and concerns of new neighbors and long-time residents.

Sam Fulwood III

A Presidential Effort to Help Black and Latino Youth
Joined at the White House by young men of color, President Barack Obama promotes his
Article

A Presidential Effort to Help Black and Latino Youth

President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative is a noble call to action, but structural changes in America are needed to improve opportunities for impoverished black and Latino boys.

Sam Fulwood III

Working to Stay Poor
A person making $7.50 an hour—25 percent more than the federal minimum wage, or about $1,200 a month in pre-tax income—gets by only with help from family, friends, or some sort of publicly supported assistance. (iStockphoto)
Article

Working to Stay Poor

Corporations cheat the nation by refusing to pay living wages, condemning their workers to poverty, and requiring taxpayers to fill the gaps.

Ianta Summers

Is White Supremacy Making a Comeback?
Democratic Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio celebrates with son Dante, daughter Chiara, and wife, Chirlane, after he was elected the first Democratic mayor of New York City in 20 years. (AP/Kathy Willens)
Article

Is White Supremacy Making a Comeback?

White supremacy is probably not returning, as recent studies suggest white Americans are increasingly more progressive on matters of race, as those who long for a return to the nation’s racist past dwindle in number and political influence.

Sam Fulwood III

Hard-Right Americans Fear the Future
Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, right, shakes hands with Bill O'Reilly after his interview for O'Reilly's Fox News program
Article

Hard-Right Americans Fear the Future

Conservative voters’ refusal to embrace a diverse and multicultural America has led to a temper tantrum that threatens to bring the nation’s economy to a halt.

Sam Fulwood III

Marissa Alexander Stands Her Ground
 (Marissa Alexander)
Article

Marissa Alexander Stands Her Ground

George Zimmerman used Stand Your Ground laws to evade arrest. Marissa Alexander defended herself from her husband, used Stand Your Ground, and was convicted anyway. Why?

Sam Fulwood III

How to Fix College Sports
Athlete, singer, and political activist Paul Robeson testifies before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in Washington, June 12, 1956. (AP/Bill Achatz)
Article

How to Fix College Sports

Moneyed interests and a lack of respect and historical understanding are ruining college sports—but not irretrievably.

Sam Fulwood III

It’s Time to Go ‘All In’
Jonadad Luque reads to his daughter, Jarlin, 5, in their home in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP/Mark Humphrey)
Article

It’s Time to Go ‘All In’

We must embrace the increasing diversity of our nation and put all of our people’s interests at the forefront of our national agenda.

Sam Fulwood III

Small Gains for Affirmative Action
Abigail Fisher, quien demando a la Universidad de Texas cuando no le ofrecieron un lugar en el campus principal de la universidad en Austin en el 2008, llega a una conferencia de prensa en el American Enterprise Institute en Washington el lunes 24 de junio del 2013. (AP/Charles Dharapak)
Article

Small Gains for Affirmative Action

While the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action was better than expected, it still leaves many questions unanswered.

Sam Fulwood III

Witness to Whiteness
Nora Howell explores the construct of
Article

Witness to Whiteness

A performance artist explores her life to discover and reveal what it feels like to be white in America.

Sam Fulwood III

Cereal Ad Gives Us All Something to Chew On
Boxes of Cheerios cereal are displayed at a Little Rock, Arkansas, grocery store. (AP/Danny Johnston)
Article

Cereal Ad Gives Us All Something to Chew On

While an ad campaign featuring an interracial couple and their mixed-race daughter upset a few, today’s modern American family mirrors the country’s fast-changing identity.

Sam Fulwood III

The American Media Diet
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks about his trip to the Middle East during a news conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sunday, June 30, 2013. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
Article

The American Media Diet

Our knowledge of foreign affairs is dismal compared to other countries, but if we are going to remain leaders of an interconnected world, we can’t continue to lag behind.

Sam Fulwood III

Let’s Agree to Disagree
Roland Martin arrives at the 44th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Friday, February 1, 2013. Martin's recent removal from CNN's lineup of contracted pundits sparked an online debate. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Article

Let’s Agree to Disagree

We should embrace opposition to our ideas and opinions instead of fiercely opposing it and taking sides, as Michael Fauntroy and Roland Martin recently did in a Twitter debate.

Sam Fulwood III

Fixing the GOP
Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at his Capitol office in Washington, Wednesday, February 13, 2013. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Article

Fixing the GOP

Saving the Republican Party will require some radical and fundamental changes, but preventing the party’s demise isn’t an impossible task.

Sam Fulwood III

What Does the Facebook Generation Think About Racism?
Actor Forest Whitaker speaks in Paris, February 7, 2012. (AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)
Article

What Does the Facebook Generation Think About Racism?

Ta-Nehisi Coates’s recent New York Times op-ed has sparked an important conversation about race matters in our nation—and it may help to inspire more vigilance among Americans of the younger generation.

Sam Fulwood III

Racial Flap Could Have Unintended Consequences
Emory University Chairman of the Board of Trustees Ben Johnson III, left, introduces the University's next president, James W. Wagner, Wednesday, July 30, 2003, at the Emory Conference Center Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. (AP/Barry Williams)
Article

Racial Flap Could Have Unintended Consequences

Emory University President James W. Wagner is paying the price for ignorance and insensitivity, but we all stand to lose if talking about race becomes too risky.

Sam Fulwood III

Lift Every Voice
Harry Belafonte walks onstage to accept the Spingarn award at the 44th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Friday, February 1, 2013. (AP/Matt Sayles)
Article

Lift Every Voice

Entertainment and civil rights icon Harry Belafonte challenges black celebrities and the African American community to become much more vocal in the discourse surrounding America’s gun violence crisis.

Sam Fulwood III

1963 Can Still Teach Us Something
Article

1963 Can Still Teach Us Something

America’s civil rights history and the progress we’ve made as a nation since that era must serve as a beacon to solving challenges going forward.

Sam Fulwood III

Planned Cable Reality Show Hit with Protest
Shawty Lo performs at the 21st annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on Monday, June 23, 2008. (AP/Matt Sayles)
Article

Planned Cable Reality Show Hit with Protest

Backlash against a controversial Oxygen-network program filled with offensive stereotypes will keep it off the air, but Sam Fulwood III wonders what the show’s producers were thinking in the first place.

Sam Fulwood III

Let’s Talk About Race and Poverty
Moderator Candy Crowley passes members of the audience as she arrives at the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, Tuesday, October 16, 2012, in Hempstead, New York. (AP/Eric Gay)
Article

Let’s Talk About Race and Poverty

The presidential candidates’ unwillingness to discuss these two major issues is a shameful failure of courage and leadership.

Sam Fulwood III

Remembering James Meredith
In this October 2, 1962, file photo, James Meredith, center with briefcase, is escorted to the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford. Escorting Meredith is Chief U.S. Marshal James McShane, left, and an unidentified marshal at right. (AP)
Article

Remembering James Meredith

The role of Meredith and countless others in integrating America’s college campuses should not be forgotten.

Sam Fulwood III

Secession Isn’t the Answer
Flags adorn graves in the Southern soldiers ground in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. A controversial new book by Chuck Thompson suggests that Southern and Northern Americans can't live with each other, and therefore the South ought to secede from the North. (AP/Bruce Smith)
Article

Secession Isn’t the Answer

Sam Fulwood III examines the evolving state of American race relations and what that means for the sociopolitical environment of the South.

Sam Fulwood III

Fighting Fatherlessness
Article

Fighting Fatherlessness

Sam Fulwood III looks at a new book that hopes to spur a wider public conversation about the role of fathers in their families and in the larger American community.

Sam Fulwood III

What Do the Poor Deserve?
Since former President Ronald Reagan first used the term welfare queen, the perception that most people in public housing are living the lush life has persisted, causing public outrage at a recent image of a boy in a poor New Orleans neighborhood using an iPad. (AP/Scott Stewart)
Article

What Do the Poor Deserve?

Sam Fulwood III examines how outrage over a recent photo in The Times-Picayune reflects the contempt that some people silently harbor toward the poor.

Sam Fulwood III

How Important Is Your Vote?
Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann holds a postcard to help identify voters in need of a state-government-issued ID card. More than two dozen states have some form of ID requirement to vote, and 11 of those passed new rules over the past two years largely at the urging of Republicans who say they want to prevent fraud. (AP/Rogelio V. Solis)
Article

How Important Is Your Vote?

Sam Fulwood III explores whether forces beyond the casting of votes can actually determine who gets elected president of the United States.

Sam Fulwood III

The Black in the Rainbow
NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, above, issued a statement in support of marriage equality shortly after President Obama's announcement. But the association has long supported equal rights for gay and transgender Americans. (AP/Brian Witte)
Article

The Black in the Rainbow

Sam Fulwood III learns at this week’s NAACP conference that the association is a longtime advocate for equal rights for gay, lesbian, and transgender Americans.

Sam Fulwood III

The Death of Affirmative Action
New Haven, Connecticut, firefighter Ben Vargas testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 16, 2009. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights member Peter Kirsanow is at right. Vargas and other firefighters in New Haven were plaintiffs in <i>Ricci vs. DeStefano</i>, the reverse discrimination lawsuit that was overturned by the Supreme Court in their favor. (AP/Charles Dharapak)
Article

The Death of Affirmative Action

Sam Fulwood III argues that America’s colleges and workplaces will still foster racial and ethnic diversity, but by different methods.

Sam Fulwood III

Selma to Montgomery, Then and Now
Article

Selma to Montgomery, Then and Now

Sam Fulwood III explores the anniversary celebrations of “Bloody Sunday” on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, which this year will feature Latino rights activists, too.

Sam Fulwood III

Many Faiths, One Nation
Members of the congregation worship during a church service at Pentecostal Tabernacle in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The small church, sitting between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, has attracted students from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. (AP/Winslow Townson)
Article

Many Faiths, One Nation

Sam Fulwood III explains why it’s beneficial to have diversity in American faith traditions.

Sam Fulwood III

What Linsanity Reveals About Our Nation
Jeremy Lin came out of nowhere to turn the New York Knicks' season around, but the conversation about his unlikely rise to fame has often included a racial component.  (AP/ Kathy Knomicek)
Article

What Linsanity Reveals About Our Nation

The racially tinged headlines and tweets about basketball sensation Jeremy Lin are a reflection of our country’s discomfort with its growing diversity, says Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Are Americans in Denial About Inequality?
Occupy Wall Street protestors march in New York City near Zuccotti Park in October 2011. Occupy Wall Street began as a movement to expose the growing class stratification in America. (AP/Craig Ruttle)
Article

Are Americans in Denial About Inequality?

Sam Fulwood III explains why Mitt Romney’s overestimation of the middle class could very well be an indication of how unaware Americans are of the class divisions in this country.

Sam Fulwood III

How Gov. Brewer Actually Helped President Obama
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer points her finger in the face of President Barack Obama during an intense conversation at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Wednesday, January 25, 2012, in Mesa, Arizona. (AP/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
Article

How Gov. Brewer Actually Helped President Obama

Sam Fulwood III explains why Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s disrespectful gesture last week will motivate black voters to support the president in the November election.

Sam Fulwood III

We Need Diversity in Education
Vernestine Strickland, an eighth-grade teacher at Gwynn Park Middle School, in Clinton, Maryland, talks with Ashlei Gray, left, and Simone Hoggs about classroom schoolwork. (AP/Matt Houston)
Article

We Need Diversity in Education

Sam Fulwood III explains how the Obama administration is taking steps to increase diversity in America’s public schools.

Sam Fulwood III

Dumbing It Down on Fox News
Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith, background right, conducts an interview during his "Studio B" program in New York, Tuesday, May 24, 2011. (AP/Richard Drew)
Article

Dumbing It Down on Fox News

Sam Fulwood III explores why Rupert Murdoch’s propaganda machine is making its viewers less aware and knowledgeable of current events.

Sam Fulwood III

Bargaining and Basketball
Article

Bargaining and Basketball

The NBA lockout offers lessons on the need for unions to push for workers’ rights, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Pat Buchanan: America Is Doomed
Pat Buchanan on the campaign trail in 1996. His new book offers more of the same pro-white, pro-conservative propganda he's peddled for decades. (AP/Eric Draper)
Article

Pat Buchanan: America Is Doomed

Sam Fulwood III offers a brighter vision of a more diverse America than Pat Buchanan’s new book, which prophesizes a dark future without white supremacy.

Sam Fulwood III

Undermining Democracy
Early voters fill their ballots at the Douglas County Election Commision office in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 29, 2010. Conservatives are at work to prevent certain groups from voting in the upcoming presidential election. (AP/Nati Harnik)
Article

Undermining Democracy

Right-wing legislatures are working hard to suppress voters as the next presidential election draws closer, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Parsing the Polls
The U.S. Capitol is shown during the debt limit debate on July 30, 2011. New polling finds historically low approval ratings for Congress. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Article

Parsing the Polls

The latest opinion polling on dissatisfaction with Congress might be accurate for once, writes Sam Fulwood III, and that could be a good thing.

Sam Fulwood III

The Value of National Service
AmeriCorps volunteer Jacob Biddlecome, 24, from  Maryland hands out Red Cross informational flyers on how to return to  your flooded home in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on May 14, 2011. Recent budget cuts to national service programs rob youth of the chance to make a difference in their country. (AP/Rogelio V. Solis)
Article

The Value of National Service

Keeping our youth engaged in the service of their country is good for the nation and fighting joblessness, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Rededicating Ourselves to Dr. King’s “Dream”
Christopher Ogden, of Charlotte, right, takes a photograph of his  children, Courtney Ogden, 6, center, and Conrad Ogden, 2, with a statue  of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial  in Washington on August 22, 2011.  The memorial will be officially  dedicated on Sunday. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
Article

Rededicating Ourselves to Dr. King’s “Dream”

We should reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work that remains undone as the president prepares to dedicate the monument celebrating the civil rights activist this Sunday, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

The Race for the White House
Article

The Race for the White House

The president’s prospects for re-election have more to do with politics than the color of his skin, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

The Catch 22 of Racial Disparities
A new report about the importance of a college education makes it clear that whites earn more than black and Latino workers—even when master’s and professional degrees are taken into account—but its authors are reluctant to explain why this is the case. (Flickr/pmong9)
Article

The Catch 22 of Racial Disparities

Sam Fulwood III explains how the conventions of academic rigor prevent researchers from clearly addressing the issue of racism.

Sam Fulwood III

Sounding the Wrong Alarm
La Representante Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) indicó en el pleno de la Cámara el viernes que los miembros del Congreso se niegan a aumentar el límite de la deuda porque el presidente es afroamericano. (Flickr/<a href=@mjb )" data-srcset="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/jacksonlee_onpage.1.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/jacksonlee_onpage.1.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/jacksonlee_onpage.1.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/jacksonlee_onpage.1.jpg?w=500 500w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/jacksonlee_onpage.1.jpg?w=250 250w" data-sizes="auto" />
Article

Sounding the Wrong Alarm

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s time on the House floor Friday was spent speculating on the racist nature of conservative politicians instead of warning of the dangers to her constituents of not raising the debt limit, says Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

A Tale of Two Young Black Men
Author Wes Moore speaks to students at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon. (Flickr/<a href=Multnomah County Library )" data-srcset="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/rab_071211_onpage.jpg?w=450 450w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/rab_071211_onpage.jpg?w=450 450w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/rab_071211_onpage.jpg?w=450 450w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/rab_071211_onpage.jpg?w=450 450w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/07/rab_071211_onpage.jpg?w=250 250w" data-sizes="auto" />
Article

A Tale of Two Young Black Men

Sam Fulwood III asks what we can learn from two Baltimore natives who travelled decidedly different paths to manhood.

Sam Fulwood III

Georgia Chopsticks, LLC
Entrepreneur Jae Lee's months-old business, Georgia Chopsticks, LLC, produces 2 million chopsticks a day for supermarkets and restaurants in China, Japan, Korea, and the United States. The business has 25 employees and already expanded twice. (Flickr/<a href=B. Johnny)" data-srcset="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/06/chopsticks_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/06/chopsticks_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/06/chopsticks_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/06/chopsticks_onpage.jpg?w=500 500w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/06/chopsticks_onpage.jpg?w=250 250w" data-sizes="auto" />
Article

Georgia Chopsticks, LLC

Sam Fulwood III highlights a business success story that offers hope for bringing the economy back to life.

Sam Fulwood III

Playing the Dozens
Article

Playing the Dozens

Sam Fulwood III explores kerfuffle over taunts by Princeton’s Cornel West at the president’s supposed lack of serious black-first policies.

Sam Fulwood III

Antiracism Increasingly a Black and White Affair
People attend a Tea Party event in Tyler, Texas. In a survey conducted by researchers Michael I. Norton and Samuel R. Sommers, they found that white Americans perceive bias against them was a greater social problem during the first decade of the 21st century than it was for black Americans. (AP/Dr. Scott M. Lieberman)
Article

Antiracism Increasingly a Black and White Affair

Sam Fulwood III explores the growing divide over what racism means today among blacks and whites, and how calculating conservatives are seeking political advantage from it.

Sam Fulwood III

Did We Back the Wrong Horse?
Jerry Cupp of Columbus, Ohio, a 30-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department and a dues-paying member of the police union as well as a Tea Party supporter, told <i>The Columbus Dispatch</i> over the weekend that he regrets voting for conservative Ohio Gov. John Kasich, above, who signed a GOP-backed bill last month that bans public worker strikes. (AP/Jay LaPrete)
Article

Did We Back the Wrong Horse?

Working voters in Ohio and Virginia are having second thoughts on electing antiunion politicians, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Real Diversity Requires Diverse Thinking
Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam, pictured above, recently put forth an interesting social theory, suggesting that America’s civic health declines in the most diverse settings. As Putnam described it, diversity makes people uncomfortable because it produces culture clashes that distract from other tasks. But isn’t that what representative democracy is all about? (Flickr/<a href=Dean Terry)" data-srcset="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/rab_040511_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/rab_040511_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/rab_040511_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/rab_040511_onpage.jpg?w=500 500w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/rab_040511_onpage.jpg?w=250 250w" data-sizes="auto" />
Article

Real Diversity Requires Diverse Thinking

Sam Fulwood III explores why it’s important for progressives of all colors to listen to diverse voices, including those that don’t map to majority progressive thinking.

Sam Fulwood III

The People v. Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart shoppers use carts at a Wal-Mart store in Moutain View, California. A pay discrimination case against Wal-Mart begins today that involves by some estimates as many as 1.5 million women. (AP/Paul Sakuma)
Article

The People v. Wal-Mart

A pay discrimination case against Wal-Mart will affect future class-action suits, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Liberate National Public Radio!
Article

Liberate National Public Radio!

Sam Fulwood III explains why he agrees with conservatives about ending public support for NPR, albeit for different reasons.

Sam Fulwood III

Every (Black Man) an Obama?
Article

Every (Black Man) an Obama?

Sam Fulwood III examines the woeful plight of too many black men in our society today against the backdrop of the first African-American president.

Sam Fulwood III

Majority Minority Toddlers
Article

Majority Minority Toddlers

Sam Fulwood III examines what conservative cuts to education will mean to our ethnically diverse three-year olds and, not coincidentally, to graying Americans’ future retirement plans.

Sam Fulwood III

The Silent Decline
An abandoned car sits next to an abandoned building across the river from downtown Youngstown, Ohio. Youngstown and the surrounding Mahoning County in northeastern Ohio are rapidly undergoing a population decrease. (AP/Mark Duncan)
Article

The Silent Decline

Hundreds of communities across the country are experiencing a natural decrease in population, writes Sam Fulwood III. And it’s likely to get worse with cuts to vital programs.

Sam Fulwood III

States’ Rights Redux
Protesters rally at the Denver state capitol on Tuesday, January 4, 2011, to protest Colorado's participation in a federal program aimed at identifying illegal immigrants when they're booked into jails. Statehouse conservatives are declaring war on minorities, women, immigrants, and the poor by proposing harsh legislation targeted specifically at them. (AP/Ed Andrieski)
Article

States’ Rights Redux

Sam Fulwood III draws the parallels between the reasoning of the Confederacy 150 years ago and the misguided righteousness of some conservatives today.

Sam Fulwood III

Violence Doesn’t Work
History ought to inform us that this sad incident involving the shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) and 19 other people will change nothing politically, in and of itself. It will only inflict unspeakable pain and suffering on undeserving people. (AP/ Susan Walsh)
Article

Violence Doesn’t Work

Sam Fulwood III finds hope amid the recent bloodshed, knowing violence in past struggles for progressive change led America to embrace its best instincts.

Sam Fulwood III

All in the Family
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and his wife, Cindy McCain, leave their polling station Tuesday, November 2, 2010, in Phoenix after casting their ballots. (AP/Matt York)
Article

All in the Family

A telling family dispute over allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in our military reveals Sen. McCain’s strategy of delay, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

The Civil War Today
Robert F. Costello is dressed as Abraham Lincoln on Monday, October 25, 2010, in Trenton, NJ, as he joins Civil War reenactors in part of the state’s sesquicentennial (150th) observation and commemoration of New Jersey’s part in the Civil War. (AP/Mel Evans)
Article

The Civil War Today

Sam Fulwood III braces for a parade of Civil War anniversaries and what they will mean to today’s polarized electorate, particularly Tea Party patriots.

Sam Fulwood III

The Essence of Marriage
Aisha Mills, left, and Danielle Moodie-Mills, right, recently became the first black lesbian couple featured in Essence.com. (Craig Paulson Photography)
Article

The Essence of Marriage

Newlyweds Aisha and Danielle Moodie-Mills move beyond the black community’s own “don’t ask, don’t tell” policies, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

When Jokes Trump Discourse
Stephen Colbert, left, and Jon Stewart are holding overlapping rallies at the end of the month that may draw more supporters than the slew of recent rallies and marches in Washington, D.C. (AP/Matt Sayles)
Article

When Jokes Trump Discourse

Sam Fulwood III wonders what’s become of our country’s political dialogue when mock rallies threaten to draw more supporters than real ones.

Sam Fulwood III

Majority-Minority Conflicts
D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray, shown above, scored a decisive victory last week over incumbent mayor Adrian M. Fenty  to earn the Democratic Party’s nomination for next month’s general  election. Progressive candidates for state and national office should take lessons from the D.C. mayoral race. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
Article

Majority-Minority Conflicts

Sam Fulwood III explains that progressives should take note of Washington, D.C.’s recent contest because race still matters in politics.

Sam Fulwood III

Whistling Dixie
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour remembers <span lang=his days as a student at the University of Mississippi during the mid-1960s and the height of the civil rights movement as “a very pleasant experience.”
(AP/Rogelio V. Solis)" data-srcset="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/09/rab_whistling_dixie_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/09/rab_whistling_dixie_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/09/rab_whistling_dixie_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/09/rab_whistling_dixie_onpage.jpg?w=500 500w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/09/rab_whistling_dixie_onpage.jpg?w=250 250w" data-sizes="auto" />
Article

Whistling Dixie

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour wants to blame Old Democrats for abetting southern racism, but his classmate Verna Bailey could set him straight.

Sam Fulwood III

God Made Me Do It
Glenn Beck holds hands with faith leaders at his "Restoring Honor" rally on the National Mall on Saturday, August 28, 2010. At the rally, Beck made sure to make it clear that the Tea Party is a religious movement.  (AP/ Alex Brandon)
Article

God Made Me Do It

Sam Fulwood III unpacks Glenn Beck’s new religious revival focus on the Mall.

Sam Fulwood III

Shelter Needed Amid the Housing Storm
In their conscious decisions to reap short-term profits and ignore long-term consequences, shady wheeler-dealers aided and abetted the poor in their desperate overreach for the American Dream. (AP/Reed Saxon)
Article

Shelter Needed Amid the Housing Storm

Earth to conservatives: Poor people didn’t cause our housing crisis, but they do face a housing crisis today, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Editorializing While Black
Walter Williams' column, seen here at Creators Syndicate, is distributed to 150 websites and newspapers, and is an unrelenting, negative rant on black leaders, black lifestyles, and black people. (creators.com)
Article

Editorializing While Black

Right-wing commentators who happen to be black shouldn’t be allowed to play fast and loose with the truth, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III

Obama Should Speak Up
President Barack Obama gives race-baiting groups too much power by avoiding direct confrontation with them. He needs to stand up and lead on racial issues. (AP/Charles Dharapak)
Article

Obama Should Speak Up

President Obama is missing out on a chance to guide the nation to a deeper understanding of racial issues, writes Sam Fulwood III.

Sam Fulwood III