Research by Pearl K. Ford Dowe, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Arkansas, finds that the notion that the United States entered the post-racial era with the election of Barack Obama, is unfounded. Her research has found that stereotypes stigmatizing African Americans remain strong among White Americans.
In addition to persisting racial stereotypes, Dr. Dowe notes that a recent Blair-Rockefeller Poll by the University of Arkansas found that over 80 percent of African Americans still report being subjected to discrimination in their everyday life. The poll also found that 68.6 percent of White Americans disagreed with the statement that the federal government should “make sure that minorities have equality to whites” in the job market. In contrast, more than 73 percent of African Americans believed that the federal government should ensure equality in the job market.
Dr. Dowe is a graduate of Savannah State University and holds a Ph.D. in political science from Howard University.
