University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Racism is defined as prejudice and discrimination directed at an individual based on their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group. It is a prevalent issue in the United States, affecting a wide range of communities, including Native Americans, Arab Americans, Jewish Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, and Latinos.

Racism

Which of the following statements best describes racism?

Which of the following is an example of subtle racism?

Which of the following scenarios illustrates how racism can be subtle and hard to detect?

A prominent example of racial discrimination is the segregation of public facilities, such as the water fountain depicted in Photograph B. During the Jim Crow era in the United States, facilities were often explicitly separated for 'White' and 'Colored' people. This practice was a form of institutionalized racism designed to enforce a racial hierarchy.

Example of Racial Discrimination: Segregated Water Fountains in the Jim Crow South

A social experiment illustrates racism by observing public reactions to a staged bike theft. In the experiment, a White male teenager, a Black male teenager, and a White female individually attempt to steal a bike in a public park. The differing responses from bystanders towards each person based on their race and gender demonstrate how prejudice and stereotypes can lead to discriminatory actions, specifically racism.

Example of Racism: Social Experiment with Bike Theft

An example of racism in practice is the phenomenon known as 'Driving While Black' (DWB). This term describes the racial profiling of Black drivers, who are statistically more likely to be subjected to vehicle searches during traffic stops than White drivers, especially when in predominantly White areas.

Example of Racism: 'Driving While Black' (DWB)

White supremacy is defined as the formal juridico-political, and economic systems along with more informal cultural systems where white individuals overwhelmingly control power, resources, and knowledge creation in ways that cement white superiority and lead to a subordination of non-white individuals.

White Supremacy

Mexican Americans and other Latino groups are targets of racism originating from multiple sources, including the police and other members of the community.

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