Madison Daniels Source 2

Question: What do African Americans and other minority groups experience day-to-to day on campus? How do African Americans feel about attending a predominantly white university and what do they experience as a result?

Lewis, Amanda E., Mark Chesler, and Tyrone A. Forman. "The Impact Of 'Colorblind' Ideologies On Students Of Color: Intergroup Relations At A Predominantly White University" Journal Of Negro Education 69.1/2 (2000): 74. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

This article studies the experiences of college students of color with white college students on campuses where whites are the dominant race. The researchers conducted interviews with the minorities of the campuses: blacks, Latinos, and Asians to gain insight on intergroup relations at the college level. The study resulted in some of the following findings: "White colorblindness, color consciousness, and racial/ethnic stereotyping." These issues can be applied to the larger "social contexts that frame and support them." The interviews were created to find out more the student sample, their good and bad interactions and experiences. Some of the questions were "How do you and students of other races relate to one another in class?" or "What do white students do that offends or hurts students of color outside class?" In analyzing the data, six major categories were drafted from the responses in relation to phenomena in race literature. These major themes display the mostly negative campus experiences and daily interactions of students of color. Academic and Behavioral Racial Stereotyping, Pressures or Expectations to Assimilate, Exclusion and Marginality, White Ignorance and Interpersonal Awkwardness, White Resentment and Hostility about Affirmative Action, The Focus on Black and White, and Institutional Context were among the themes identified. However, there is debate if racism and ethnic discrimination are still an institutional problem in the intergroup relations of college students today. There are different perspectives from both and they each have their evidence for why or why not racism in an ongoing issue.

This source changed my thinking on the topic by the details that the article provided. I feel like this is a critical primary source for me because it is important to my overall research question: Why do racial problems persist on college campuses? The article brought to my attention different ways to look at the racial problems at hand. The study examines the firsthand experiences and interactions that black groups have with white groups on campus. The interviews conducted along with the literature on race relations resulted in the major themes of negative experiences and interactions on campus, which is unique way of looking at the situation. I agree with the source because the argument made in the study seem very accurate. This source leads me to an answer the questions to this blog post. The answer would be something like: The sentiments of racism, racial prejudice, stereotyping still very much exist. African Americans still face such racism because of the themes identified earlier.

This source could be set to have a conversation about ongoing Sunday racial discrimination and diversity issues. Source 2 discussed the race issues on college campuses and their specific evidence and reasoning behind it, their opinions from their videos. Source 1 examined more about diversity requirements in universities and what impact they have on different racial groups. I think that Source 1 could be used in conversation as one minimal way to provide a solution in decreasing race issues.

This source has led me to want to find other sources similar to this. I am curious to know other firsthand accounts of black interactions and experiences with whites on campuses. I feel like this article provided me with sufficient evidence on why blacks feel the way they do. I also want to know more about the opposing view in this kind of article. What do whites think of this research? What can society do to mitigate the racial tensions? Is it possible to take these themes listed in the source and mitigate them as well?