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Charles F. Peterson is an assistant professor of Black Studies at The College of Wooster. His research and teaching interests focus on Africana Philosophy, Afri-Marxist Philosophy, Marxist Theory, Black Intellectual History, African History, African Diasporic History, African-American Literature, and cultural studies. Peterson received his bachelor's degree cum laude in philosophy from Morehouse College. Additionally, he completed his master's and doctoral degrees in Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture from Binghamton University. A recipient of the Clifford A. Clarke Graduate Fellowship, Peterson was an instructor at Temple University, a research assistant at Florida International University, and a teaching assistant at Binghamton and the University of Ghana at Legon before receiving an Assistant Professorship at the College of Wooster. Peterson's publications include "Accra Woman" in Abafazi: Journal of African Women and "A Long Way from Home" in Cultural Activisms: Poetic Voices, Political Voices. He has also co-edited an anthology of poetry titled Sons of Lovers: An Anthology of Love Poems by Black Men. |
for Black Americans It has been more than three decades since the Civil Rights Movement and 135 years since slavery came to an end in America, but the question of whether Black Americans will ever find true equality remains in doubt. Charles Peterson, assistant professor of Black Studies at The College of Wooster, has studied this issue extensively, and he answers some commonly asked questions by both Black and White Americans. What are some of the most significant gains made by Black Americans since the civil rights movement? Though these gains are subject to changes in the political atmosphere, I would argue that increased access to institutions of higher education and the attempt to tear down traditional walls of exclusion in the areas of employment and housing are somewhat noteworthy. This is not to say that these efforts have been 100 percent successful, but these can be included in a list of conditional gains. However, these have to be understood in light of disparities between whites and blacks that if surmounted would aid in stabilizing Afri-U.S. financial/economic life or provide access to technologies and resources that would facilitate a growth in the cultural and social opportunities in working class and poor Afri-U.S. communities. Are Black political leaders beginning to make a difference in the lives of Black Americans? One has to look at formal leadership in relation to informal leadership. For the formal leader (elected official) there are some that make sincere and determined efforts to grapple with the issues that face Afri-U.S. peoples. However, they are constrained by the nature of the political machine itself and that, to some degree, limits their efficacy. The informal leaders are most capable in their ability to publicize an issue and bring a certain degree of awareness to concerns, but without stable institutional support maintaining any particular agenda becomes very difficult. How much progress has been made in the battle against corporate racism? If we think about corporate racism as just glass ceilings and the exclusion of Afri-U.S. peoples from key positions in corporations, then little progress has been made even with the aid of affirmative action legislation that sets guidelines for fair hiring practices. However, if we think of corporate racism as the malignant neglect that results in environmental racism or that allows corporations to demolish communities in the U.S. by moving low paying jobs to countries where people of color can be paid even lower wages, then not much progress has been made in the battle against corporate racism in its form as capitalism. The fight against IMF/World Bank models of globalization is a key site of resistance against the broadening of multinational corporate racism. Has there been improvement in the education of Black children or are such efforts continuing to fall short of expectations? These type of questions largely skirt the larger issues. It's not just a question of the state of education for Black children, it's more a question of the overall diminishment of the public educational system and its effect on the poor, who in this country are disproportionately people of color. Thus, efforts still fall short of expectations. Is the inclusion of Black historical events in secondary school texts and curriculum adequate, or is there still much to be added? There is still a great deal that needs to be done. The inclusion of "Black" history is necessary in that it is an important component in the overall understanding of particularly U.S. and, in general, world history. As long as society in general sees histories of minorities or marginalized people as insular and not a part of the larger movement of humanity, then greater measures must be taken to universalize the understanding of history and its contemporary repercussions. How would you characterize the status of today's Black American family? It depends on how one defines family. If you mean the ability of a group of people to maintain their collective relationships and identity, then Black families survive. But if you mean family in a narrower sense, a middle class suburban model, then the Black family is taking the same type of hits that the mainstream U.S. family is taking with the added tension of the historical, economic, and social pressures that being of African descent in the U.S. brings with it. Why is the legacy of slavery an inseparable part of the Black experience in America today? Slavery, by and large, set the terms and conditions by which African peoples in this country would be treated within social, political, economic, legal, and cultural spheres. Though de jure slavery was abolished, various formal and informal systems, practices, and cultures are still being influenced by the rupture that slavery created when it re-defined how the world viewed and continues to view Africans over the course of hundreds of years. What is your take on the current status of race relations in America? Are Blacks and Whites moving closer together or further apart? This is an ominous question in light of the events of September 11. Clearly the fear and anger, prompted by the attack, tapped into not-so-deeply-submerged issues of xenophobia and racism within the U.S. consciousness. I do not think that we exist, in general, in an atmosphere that would facilitate an improvement in race relations, despite the high public profile of many African Americans. As long as the U.S. would rather emphasize Colin Powell's position as Secretary of State rather than focusing on the necessity to provide a greater degree of education, healthcare, jobs and social programs for working class and poor people of color, then there can be no improvement in race relations. As long as more attention is paid to Michael Jordan's comeback than the increasing number of young black men and women in the criminal justice system, then there can be no improvement in race relations. And as long as U.S. public and private institutions consistently put profits before people, then there can be no improvement in race relations. |
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| Last updated: January 10, 2006 · For more information, contact John Finn | ||
