Race Permanence
Race Permanence is the idea that racism is a inherent part of the American identity. It is not aberrational, it is not a coincidence, or isolated bad acts, but an engrained part of the culture, psyche, and constructs that dictate the way of life in the U.S.
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
Define "race permanence"
Describe the intersection between race, sex, and class
Explain how the law has been used to forward racial, sexual, and class discrimination
Describe the racial contract and its social impact
Describe the sexual contract and its social impact
Describe the classist contract and its social impact
Watch Lecture
Watch the content lecture below. The purpose of the lecture is to tie in all of the session’s content and to align the content with the session’s learning objectives.
Review Content
There are multiple ways to access the information for this session. There are films, writings, and reflection questions. You get out of this course what you put into it.
Complete Reflections
These course sessions are tailored to your time and effort capacity. Completing the reflections based on whatever information you are able to access is important.
Content Lecture
Watch this lecture from “the Professor,” Dr. Thomas D. Allison, Esq., on the theory of Race Permanence. Dr. Allison is a professor, an attorney in five states, a nonprofit executive, and has a doctorate in public administration.
Suggested Text: Faces At The Bottom Of The Well: The Permanence Of Racism, by Derrick Bell
13th
This incredible film is a perfect example of Derrick Bell’s theory of Race Permanence. While racism looks like it has been improved, it has only adapted with the times. Watch this film and answer the provided reflection questions.
Session Reflection Questions
In a journal, write a reflection of what you have learned from this material, covering at least the following elements:
Define "race permanence"
Describe the intersection between race, sex, and class
Explain how the law has been used to forward racial discrimination
Describe the racial contract and its social impact
Explain what you have learned and how it makes you feel
