To Understand Race in America

This book gives readers the context they need to understand America’s racial system and how it affects all Americans today. It explores the hidden history of race and white supremacy in the USA. It covers the creation of a mythological “White race” in North America; the complex array of policies, programs, and decisions that promoted white supremacy across the whole USA; and the impact of America’s racial system on all Americans – “Whites” as well as “Others.”

The book sheds new light on the legacy of white supremacy in mainstream American culture and in key institutions such as education, housing, government, and health care. It opens the door to understanding the conflicting narratives that divide Americans today and building bridges for a better tomorrow. The authors are a biracial team of activist scholars (one African American, one White). They share personal and family stories that illustrate their very different experiences growing up in America. They also include the stories and legacies of America’s diverse populations whose courage, cultures, and contributions are too often neglected in American education. The volume is well-researched, drawing on scholarship from a variety of fields, yet engaging and accessible.

The book is for educators, activists, and the general public—anyone seeking a better understanding of a multicultural America. It includes discussion questions, a glossary, rich visuals, and references for further exploration. It will be an invaluable resource for undergraduate courses in American history, American studies, sociology, education, human services, or public administration, as well as for curious Americans who want to understand today’s culture wars, political divisions, and how to build bridges across differences in their communities or workplaces.

Sue Kiefer Hammersmith is a published author, activist, and retired university president. She coauthored the ground-breaking Kinsey Institute study Sexual Preference: Its Development in Men and Women, the textbook The Solution of Social Problems: Five Perspectives, 2nd edition, and an antiracism education curriculum Recognizing and Addressing the Dominant Racial Frame. Hammersmith was a tenured faculty member at Indiana University-Indianapolis, University College Dean at Ball State University, Arts and Sciences Dean at Ferris State University, Provost and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and President of Minnesota’s Metropolitan State University. She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America!, the Today Show, and numerous local, national, and international radio and TV shows.

Bob-e Simpson Epps is a senior executive, change agent, and strategist. She was awarded a Point of Light Award by President Ronald Reagan for her pioneering work supporting women’s economic independence. She is the founder and CEO of BASE Consulting, specializing in trauma, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Accessibility (DEIA) purpose coaching, and relational leadership. She is also Chief People & Culture Officer, People Serving People. She is the author of Things My Daddy and ‘Nim Taught Me…: 30 sayins’ that shaped a culture, a book of African American folk wisdom. She is an expert in childhood trauma and historical trauma. She has worked extensively with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, state and local governments, and nonprofits working to address historical trauma, health care, and resilience in African American and Indigenous American communities.