Race in My Community

Race in my Community

          Race and class are increasingly important in the world today, especially in Kentucky where whites and blacks are oftentimes at odds.   Although the majority of society believes that our country has moved on to a new day where racism is not an issue, in my state race is still an extremely major problem among African Americans and white Americans. Between viscous exchanges of words, black students being the victims of racial profiling by police in cities, to effigies being hung of prominent political African American figures in trees; Kentucky has yet to overcome the boundaries set by one’s race and heritage.

    Coming from Florida originally I was used to seeing various races and cultures from every part of the world interact with each other in friendly mannerisms. Skin color and race had no bearing on friendships and stereotypes where almost never present. When I made the decision to move to Kentucky I had no idea how deep racism was still involved in the majority of the white populations interactions and thoughts with the black groups. Moreover, I did not fully understand how they often segregated themselves from people of color due to their deep dislikes of Kentucky’s African population. Many of the people who live here, especially in the rural areas, have yet to even see an African American and although they seem interested in learning their culture and heritage they are usually uncomfortable in their presence and shed away from talking to many of them.

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau African Americans only make up 7.5% of Kentucky’s population, mostly in the larger cities such Lexington with approximately 13%, Louisville with the highest percentage at 33%, Bowling Green at 15%, and Hopkinsville at 31%.   Taking this into account one must also look at the cities with the highest crime rate, which are Bowling Green, Lexington and Florence and more often then not, African Americans take the blame for almost 80% of... [continues]

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