<p>... attending prestigious universities in the US? Does the colour of your skin/ shape of your nose affect university life in any way?</p>
<p>I'm Canadian, mixed black/white, applying to masters programs at NYU, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, UMichigan Ann Arbor, and UChicago.</p>
<p>I grew up in Toronto which is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. I can honestly say that in 17 years I never had any problem with racism in that city. However from my reading, traveling in the US (AZ, GA, NY, FL, TN, KY, OH, SC, NC, MI) and watching American TV and movies, I get the impression that things are very different in the United States. I anticipate that many people are patriotic and proud of how far the US has improved race relations over the last forty years, but I would really appreciate some upfront honesty here.</p>
<p>How does being black - or as you yanks say, "African American" - affect your academic and social life at prestigious schools, and within their respective surrounding environments? Is there anything specific I should be prepared for?</p>
<p>I'm not black, but race relations /are/ more tense in the U.S. than in Canada. Yeah, it's partly a factor of lingering white racism in the South, where you will find that the reality is, despite the fact that it's the twenty-first century, things like interracial dating can still be very touchy subjects (recently news was made b/c Republicans apparently constructed a racially-charged ad that played on interracial dating fears against a senator candidate in a southern state, for example). But there's something else to it, too, that I can't quite put my finger on. I think because of how long slavery and segregation lasted in the U.S., there are more "primarily black" areas than in other nations, and I /think/ (don't quote me here) you will find that crime rates are generally higher in the black population and income is lower. So we see the emergence of a more defined, outspoken black culture, and the creation of unfair, race-related stereotypes that adds to tension. Plus, there is that element of self-fulfilling prophecies when some black people /expect/ (and with good reason, historically speaking, I guess) to be treated unfairly, and sometimes develop kind of a hostile, guarded nature in that respect.</p>
<p>And that was pretty long-winded. And pretty useless when it comes down to your question. In general, a U.S. university is the most liberal place on the planet. Plus, racism is way more rampant in the older Southern generation than in college-age students. I live in Maryland in the Baltimore area, and there's pretty much 0 racism or race-related tension. I think that if you choose a diverse school in a liberal area, you pretty much won't run into any problems. Maybe if you go to a really conservative, mostly white school in the rural South there will be jerks and stigma attatched to interracial dating. However, most places you go, don't "expect" anything - be open, friendly, make an effort to join all kinds of groups on campus...and people will be open and friendly in return. It ain't the 1960s anymore. In most of the U.S., anyway ;).</p>
<p>So, those schools you listed? Don't worry. They're all great, liberal schools in liberal areas. Cities like DC, New York, Baltimore, will be just as diverse and accepting as Toronto. The key is to not go in expecting confrontation...and you probably won't find any.</p>
<p>Yeah, race relationhs are way more tense in the U.S. than in Canada. The uneducated, highschool senior opinion here is that because slavery and segregation lasted so long and were abolished relatively recently compared to in other areas of the world, there are a lot more pockets of primarily black areas, and these areas are often low-income and crime-ridden. This creates an outspoken, definitive black community with a strong, unique cultural presence, but also the opportunity for a profusion of racial stereotypes. Yeah, in rural Southern areas there is also the problem of lingering racism, most apparent probably in stigma attached to interracial dating. </p>
<p>But the reality as far as the schools you are applying to? They are all large, liberal universities where racism isn't going to be a problem, and many of them are located in the most diverse areas in the U.S. (New York, Baltimore, DC come especially to mind...I can't imagine you'll find them to be any less diverse than Toronto). I live in Baltimore, and racism here is not very prevalent. But the honest truth is there /is/ self-segregation. There is an air of black people sometimes "expecting" to be treated unfairly or differently. And what I see more than racism is black people lashing out against other black people, calling them "Oreo cookies", accusing them of being "too white" in their actions and mannerisms. Something that is maybe different than Toronto but positive? The cultural experience is really unique. Many black people here are really invested in their heritage and culture, and you'll maybe see a sort of community solidarity that can be an interesting new experience. For instance, there are all-black fraternities and sororities and clubs like the "African American Awareness Club". But you'll only notice all that if you look for it. </p>
<p>Basically, if you go into any of those great, liberal universities, involve yourself in diverse activities, be nice and fun and cool and expect the same things in return...you'll get a great, positive multi-cultural experience that won't be so different than Uni in Toronto...except I think we have more school spirit, better athletics, and just a better time overall ;). The American university is one of the most liberal places in the world, so have fun!</p>
<p>um, don't go to a school with less than 5% black people. or less than 5% in any other minority category in the middle of nowhere. that's all i have to say.</p>
<p>First off, racism in the US is equally distributed by pretty much every race in every part of the country. It's not a Northern vs Southern thing at all. It may be more likely for a backwoodsy Southerner to openly dislike someone based on race, but Northerners aren't perfect little angels in this. Their racism just tends to be much more subtle...or at least a bit more decietful.</p>
<p>Secondly, one could argue that a decent sized protest in Philadelphia two years ago where several men in hoods that were handing out flyers about the "White Devil" are pretty darn open about their racism as well. Background story...they were protesting the death penalty/prison sentence (I forget which at this point) about a black man that had killed a white cop saying how he was unjustly punished. Yeah...he killed a cop...nobody goes to jail for that! Idiots.</p>
<p>And finally, I go to Louisiana Tech University, and it's a pretty conservative school. I've yet to witness a single act of racism towards any race, though, so don't judge a school soley by its location and political slant.</p>
<p>Sorry, I was irritated by a few comments in the above posts.</p>
<p>As for your question, I can't imagine that you'd feel out of place in any of the schools you mentioned. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.</p>
<p>Toronto is awesome, by the way. I was up there two summers ago and loved it.</p>
<p>i agree completely with you katho, i go to clemson which is a very conservative school "in the middle of nowhere" south carolina. i have yet to see any act of racism. i also hate the fact that just because i grew up in the south and have an "accent" i am automatically labeled a racist. there are just as many backwoodsey racist Northerners as there are backwoodsey racist Southerners.</p>
<p>umm well I'm gonna give it to you straight. I'm black and I attend the University of Georgia (which is 6%-7% black I think) and I've been called nigger three times from people passing in cars while walking to class (during THIS semester). Also, when I was coming back to my room one day, a girl's mother was helping her daughter take some things to her room (I guess she had went home for the weekend or something) but anyway, as I walked by the mother basically said "I can't believe they're letting you live in a dorm full of coloreds." and the daughter replied with "I know...atleast my roommate is white"</p>
<p>I mean...this blatant racism definitely isn't the norm...but I'm just letting you know that its very alive in the southern region of the US. I also have NO black professors, am the only black person in a class of 400 students. The black student community here is not unified at all and the only "history" we have here is the desegregation of the institution in 1961. Hell, search the net for the recent incident we've had with the Chi Phi fraternity if you want to.</p>
<p>but yea you're only considering schools located in the north so I'm guessing you shouldn't have any problems (I personally don't know)</p>
<p>i didnt say you would experience racism if you were in the middle of nowhere, it's just that it might be hard to adjust and grow if you are not used to such a homogeneous, rural environment.</p>
<p>WOW. Just wow. I had ruled out Vanderbilt because of some bad racial vibes I got from Tenessee... but being yelled at from cars? I've lived in Europe for two and a half years now and that has never happened to me. Nothing even close. The mother and daughter seem like a pretty extreme case... I really hope that's just an isolated extreme case.</p>
<p>At my current school there are no black profs in my department and I have no black classmates in any of my courses. I don't have a problem with it though, I'm used to it.</p>
<p>What I'm not used to is the whole affirmative action debate going on in the US right now. I sometimes wonder if black people are perceived differently (negatively) by profs and peers in highly selective schools because perhaps there is a general -albeit subtle- attitude that they may have gotten in because of their skin colour and not entirely because of their individual merit.</p>
<p>You know, I still don't understand the AA debate completely myself, but I have noticed that when talking to Americans (most of which from McGill hail from the East Coast) that they are very touchy with the race issue. The subtle racism katho was talking about is very noticable among many of them, sometimes it comes off very funny because some of people I've act like they're walking on eggshells and then slip up and say something so blantantly racist without realizing it.</p>
<p>One memorable instance was during an informal debate on the merits of the world "fa<strong>ot and "ni</strong>ger". One of the guys in a dead serious tone just blurted out, "While I don't think it's okay to say the F-word to describe gays, I think it's better then the n-word because black people will kill you."</p>
<p>I thought it was hilarious.</p>
<p>I think people in different countries just percieve racism differently. I grew up in Toronto like yourself and we're used to describing people by the colour of their skin in informal settings (ie: that brown guy, that black girl, the Asian dude, the white guy etc.) and I noticed that it made some people a bit uncomfortable when I used words like that. I think the racial vibe in Toronto is really laid back and politically incorrect at the same time while it's a bit more tense South of the border.</p>
<p>I live in a city which is, easily, 70% African American. One of the Private Universities in my city only has two African American professors. </p>
<p>I think that we all have a long way to go. </p>
<p>As a Quaker, I am cool with whatever. But, when I see the self imposed institutionalised racism of my own city, I flip out a bit. It is weird. Look up the stats of my city sometimes. I think that the Government of my city is enabling negative things.</p>
<p>Thisyearsfashion- It is VERY appaarant you are an 18 year old high school student- CHECK OUT RACIAL INCIDENTS IN BAAWSTON!!! yes, I spelled it right! :)</p>
<p>Yeah, I was the same way in Toronto. Black, brown, white, whatever. IMO the only people who would be uncomfortable with these simple colours would be people who have racist prejudices that they are trying to hide. All this stuff with "African-American" and "caucasian" seems so ridiculous, like people are going to such great lengths to appear non-racist. If they really were race-neutral they wouldn't think to make such great efforts in the first place. And yet it seems to be totally normal to speak this way in America, judging from the Americans I've met and some American TV I've watched.</p>
<p>So I guess I'll be referred to as an "African-American" when I'm there, even though I am neither African nor American. Peculiar.... although I suppose it's a bit nicer than what bluthunder gets called on her way to class. Actually my skin isn't properly black either... but whether i'm called brown or black I couldn't care less. I reckon "caucasians" wouldn't care about being called off-white, which applies to most of them, or just white, which is only accurate for albinos and a minority of extremely pale people.</p>
<p>race relations are awful in the U.S. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, especially not some sheltered suburbanites living in 100% white areas. Come to Boston, and see how far a white person makes it in Roxbury and how far a black can get in southie. Right on campus at say, Harvard or MIT, you're all good...people there are smart and come for the same thing. Don't expect the same treatment from people in the actual working class residential areas of Boston, they're dumb, trust me I know.</p>