By Teddy Burrage

Earlier this month on April 10^th, President Barack Obama with three of his predecessors celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, paying tribute to Lyndon B. Johnson and those who led the movement for more equality in the United States.

During his keynote address, President Obama gave a riveting portrayal of LBJ’s early life, describing his struggle with poverty as a child and his experience as a teacher at a so-called Mexican school in Texas. It was those experiences which inspired his mission for a more equitable America.

The provisions outlined in the Civil Right Acts ensured that Blacks no longer had to endure unfair poll taxes, reinforced the desegregation of public and private locations, and mandated equal opportunity employment.  The Civil Rights Movement paved the way for people such as President Obama and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge to hold public office. The opportunities forged by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, President Johnson, and people like Medgar Evers will forever been seen as among the greatest achievements in this country.

Unfortunately, these acts of leadership have lulled many non-minorities into believing that racism in America is a thing of the past.  Many are eager to point to the election of a Black president (he’s actually half Black and half White), as proof that the color of your skin no longer matters in meaningful ways.  Those who believe in a “post-racist America” are often reassured by Blacks ability ride in the front of the bus, or sit at the lunch counter. I’m here to tell you that these ideas are misguided at best.

According to the NAACP, nearly 50 percent, or 1 million of the 2.3 million people currently incarcerated are Black; this is despite Blacks only making up about 13 percent of the entire population of the US.  Further evidence of these institutional inequities can be seen while analysing New York City’s controversial stop-and-frisk policy. The policy clearly comes in violation of the 4th Amendment’s guarantee against unwarranted search and seizure. Data compiled by New York’s Civil Liberties Union found that 191,558 stop-and-frisks occurred in 2013; of those stops, 56 percent were performed on Black people, compared to only 11 percent on Whites.

The contemporary issues we are facing regarding race extend further than just the flawed criminal justice system. We see it within wealth and opportunity. The pangs of segregation and the implications therein still ripple into the present day. The Kaiser Family Foundation found that 35 percent of Americans living in poverty are Black, compared to Whites who only represent 13 percent.

What most people need to understand is the term racism. Racism describes an institutional system of privilege based on racial groups. Often people mistake the term racism with prejudice.  Prejudice can be held by anyone, against anyone else, based on any difference. For example, a Black person can be prejudice against a White person. But a Black person cannot be racist.  White people are the only group able to be racist. This is because we live in country where a vast majority of the people in power are White: ie, CEOs, legislators, property owners, etc. Here’s an easy way to understand this: racism equals prejudice, plus power.

So yes, almost everyone condemns the burning of crosses, segregation of public places, and the use of harsh racial epithets–but that doesn’t mean racism is gone. It means that people have resolved or no longer act on their prejudice. The work of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, President Lyndon B. Johnson, and countless others will forever encompass one of the greatest social movements in world history. But we need to not lose sight of the very apparent inequities that plague our society. The color of your skin should not be a reliable indicator of your wealth, privilege, and opportunity.