Race is a social construct that divides humans into groups that are generally viewed as distinct by the society in which they live. This term is usually applied to physical (phenotypic) differences, but may also be used to refer to national affiliations or other social categories. It is the basis of many prejudices and discriminatory practices, including racial profiling by law enforcement officers. It also serves as a foundation of social science research and has been the subject of much debate.
The concept of race emerged in the 17th century, with European exploration and colonization of the New World. It was introduced as a way to explain differences between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans. The most common definitions of race focus on phenotypic differences such as skin tone, hair texture, facial features, and so forth. However, researchers have not been able to agree on the number of races of humans, the characteristics that distinguish one race from another, or even what these characteristics mean.
The scientific world has come to understand that these physical differences do not reflect genetically distinct species, but rather the result of long-range environmental adaptation and disease transmission over generations. However, there is a continuing societal interest in preserving and perpetuating the idea of biologically defined races. This reflects the desire to use the concept of race as an explanation for many of the disparities in life experiences between whites and blacks, Asians and Latinos, etc.
As such, a major goal of scholarly work should be to continue to explore human biogenetic variation, but without using the term race, which is so loaded with historical baggage and promotes harmful stereotypes. It is time to move beyond the notion of a fixed, universally meaningful system of categorization for humans.
A significant challenge lies in educating children to be proud of their cultural heritage and identity, but this can only be accomplished by first understanding the origin of the idea of race and its role in our society. For example, the story of Susie Guillory Phipps provides a stark example of the confusion that exists when it comes to how people are identified by the government in terms of their “official” racial classification. Phipps was born in Louisiana, and the state’s laws use a one-drop rule that classifies someone as Black if they have any ancestor who was Black.
As the racial makeup of our country continues to change, these misunderstandings can become even more problematic. Projections indicate that whites will soon be a minority, and the number of blacks will decline significantly over the next several decades. Meanwhile, Latinos and Asians will more than double their numbers. This trend, combined with the ongoing influx of immigrants from Africa, will produce an American population that will be more diverse than ever. In such a scenario, how can schools and communities prepare to ensure that students are prepared for this diverse future? This is an issue that will require the collective effort of everyone, from teachers and parents to community leaders and elected officials.