Book Explores Black Experience on Campuses

Many opponents of affirmative action argue that racial discrimination has been largely defeated in America. But a new book by Swarthmore College sociology professor Sarah Willie finds that African American college students still face racism, and that their college experience is especially difficult when minority enrollment falls short of a critical mass.

In Acting Black: College, Identity and the Performance of Race (Routledge 2003), Willie argues that until American colleges and universities become truly multicultural, the Ivory Tower will continue to be a difficult and at times alienating experience for African Americans.

"Racism and discrimination continue to exist, though often in more subtle ways than a generation ago," says Willie, who based her book on interviews with 55 African American alumni from Howard University, a predominantly black institution, and Northwestern University, a predominantly white school.

"While students may not be hurling racial epithets at each other, there are racist discussions in online chat rooms and subtle expressions of racism ranging from ignoring black students in classrooms and shepherding them away from certain majors to condescending behavior in dormitories," Willie says. "These things are difficult to change but crucial to overcome if we're going to get to the next stage as a society."

One question that interested Willie was why historically black universities such as Howard continue to appeal to large numbers of African Americans when blacks are no longer barred from once-white schools. A large part of the answer, she found, is their desire to pursue higher education without having to spend time distinguishing racism from rudeness on a daily basis.

"Many of the Northwestern alumni I interviewed were disappointed that they did not make more non-black friends," Willie says. "Half said they left with certain racial insecurities, and half of those indicated they would consider sending their children to a historically black college or university."

Willie believes that the campus experience of blacks improves when schools reach a certain threshold -- perhaps 15 percent -- in non-white enrollment. "Without affirmative action, colleges and universities in most states will not be able to achieve a critical mass of students of color," Willie says. "That could mean not just a more alienating experience for students of color, but a limited college experience for majority students as well." In addition, Willie argues that there's a place for white students on historically black campuses.

Willie, who earned her Ph.D. at Northwestern in 1995, completed her undergraduate studies at Haverford, a predominantly white college, and was an exchange student at Spelman College, a historically black women's college. She is associate professor of sociology and chair of the Black Studies Program at Swarthmore.

Located near Philadelphia, Swarthmore is a highly selective liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,450. Swarthmore is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country.