Blog Archives: August 2006

In 1965, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York wrote a treatise about the condition of the two Americas (titled: "The Negro Family: The Case for National Action"). His piece, which was a rather sobering critique of the state of the Black family, Black America and greater America itself, was viewed as quite controversial in many circles. In his article, Moynihan not only described the continuing deterioration of Black America, but he also outlined how America was increasingly divided along racial and income lines. He predicted that without significant and continued remedy and intervention, America was tracking on what would eventually be an irreversible path. The nation was destined to become a modern version of a caste society, where one group – largely Whites, had steady access to the American dream, while another – largely Blacks, lingered hopelessly in a state of permanent disenfranchisement. Senator Moynihan’s thought provoking piece was written during a pivotal point in the history of this nation. It was a time when the two Americas were so clear, since the America of the 1960’s was fundamentally a nation of Black Versus White. Certainly, there were other ethnic groups, but Blacks were estimated to represent more than 90% of the non-White population, and hence the nation’s future seemed integrally linked to the ability of the two most visible and populous groups to live together in peace. Perhaps even more importantly though, Moynihan and others also knew that the world was watching America - the world’s great melting pot. It was well understood by many even in Moynihan’s day that racial divisiveness in America would not only impede Blacks, but would eventually also have a profound and permanent impact on the nation and its position in the world. Fast forward to the New Millennium, where racial issues in America are no longer binary, and where racial animus can be advanced with the lighting speed of broadband. We live in time where far too many Americans look to the “reality” of TV to determine our own reality. In this high-tech era, we not only face a more complicated stream of information, but we also face a far more complex set of issues with regard to our racial pluralism. In this century, racial issues run the gamut, from Black-White, to White-Brown, Black-Brown, Black-Yellow, and likely every shade in between.