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Being Racially

Discriminated

Racial Discrimination: A Review of the Literature

Sharod Hampton
Hampton University

Being Racially
Discriminated

Abstract
Racial discrimination is a crime that has been seen for centuries. Jobs, neighborhoods and
schools are just some of the many place where different racial groups are discriminated against.
This literature review will inform the reader on racial discrimination is, how to stop it, where it
happens and the effects of it. Survey represented in pie charts helps contribute to the research
by giving different people of different backgrounds and ages opinions.

Being Racially
Discriminated

Across the United States and in many different parts of the world racism is still a major
problem. People everywhere are looked at differently because of the color of their skin. In times
such as the holocaust and civil rights movement races looked down upon other races that thought
they were dominate. There has been many big cases of racial discrimination such as brown vs.
board of education. Every day people are racially discriminated against and dont even realize it.
A lot of people are unaware of what racial discrimination is and how it can affect them. There are
many anti-racism groups whose goal is to bring people together to put a stop to racism. When the
topic of racial discrimination 4 questions comes to mind:
1. What is racial discrimination?
2. In what kind of places does racial discrimination take place?
3. What are the different ways racial discrimination can be prevented?
4. What impact does racial discrimination have?
The purpose of this literature review is to help inform on racial discrimination. There are many
things people are unaware of and dont know about racial discrimination. This literature review
will give information on what racial discrimination, who is racially discriminated, how to stop
racial discrimination and the effects of racial discrimination.

What is Racial Discrimination?


People have been racially discriminated against for decades. Being treated differently
because of their skin color. A question surfaced of whether or not people know what racial
discrimination is. On March 27 a survey was conducted asking a group of people if they knew
what racial discrimination was. Thirty-four people were asked if they knew what racial

Being Racially
Discriminated

discrimination was and one hundred of them answered yes. Figure 1. A pie chart showing the
results of the survey responses to the question, Do you know what racial discrimination is?

Do you know what racial discrmination is?

Yes

No

The U.S equal employment opportunity commission defines racial discrimination as treating
someone an applicant or employee unfavorably because he/she is of a certain race or because
of personal characteristics associated with race. (u.s equal employment opputunity
commision) There are more than one type of racial discrimination. For example, there is

Being Racially
Discriminated

indirect discrimination, indirect discrimination, victimization and harassment. When someone


is directly discriminated it is because of that person race. On the other hand indirect
discrimination is when different rules and regulations that are targeted to different racial
groups. Harassment can happen anywhere and everywhere and its done many different types
of ways. When people do things such as make racist jokes offending somebody they are
harassing. Lastly, many cases of racial discrimination have been reported in the past. Many
people are treated differently after reporting these incidents, this is called victimization. Racial
discrimination has been going for centuries. Racial groups have been treated as lesser equals
such as African American. During the civil rights movement African American fought there
right to be treated as equal. There were many laws put into place to keep African American
and white American separated in places such as restaurants, buses and even school. On May
31, 1955 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the people of the Brown vs. Board of education
case. The browns vs. Board of education was series of five cases that were labeled under one
name because all were dealing with segregation in schools. During the times of the civil rights
movements African Americans and white Americans schools were separate but the law
specified that although they were separate the academics should be equal. Even though this
law was put in place white American schools were academically better than school that were
predominately African Americans. After the Brown vs board of education case was settled
African Americans were now allowed to attend schools that were predominately white and
stopping one form of racial discrimination against African Americans.
In what kind of places does racial discrimination happen?
The United States is a country that is how to many people of many different races. To be
able to prevent racial discrimination should know first where it occurs. On March 27 a survey

Being Racially
Discriminated

was conducted asking a group of people where they thought racial discrimination occurred the
most. Out of 34 people 6 people believes it happens at schools, 5 people believe it happens on
the bus, 5 people also believe it happens at work and 23 people believe that it occurs everywhere.
Figure 2. A pie chart showing the results of the survey responses to the question, Where do you
think racial discrimination happens?

Where do you think Racia discrmination happens the most?

Bus

School

Work

Everywhere

Racial discrimination can happen anywhere at any time. In places such as jobs, schools,
neighborhoods and in many public places. There has been many cases in which racial
discrimination has happened in a person the work place. Sometimes the discriminator could be
an employer or a coworker. The government has put laws in place that address racial
discrimination in the work place. Although, these laws exist racial discrimination can still occur.
Where ever there are racist people racial discrimination can still occur, but with more laws
coming in to play the less likely it might happen.
What are the different ways racial discrimination can be prevented?

Being Racially
Discriminated

The United States has many set laws that has been put in place to help citizens of all
races, religions and ethnicities. Laws such as the Civil rights act of 1964 was put in place to help try
prevent racial discrimination from happening in the work place. Although there are laws forbidding racial
discrimination from happening it still occurs. It is up to the people to help prevent racial discrimination by
reporting cases of discrimination when it happens. On March 27, 2016 a survey was conducted asking

a group of people if they were a witness of racial discrimination would they help the person who was
discriminated? Thirty-four people took the survey and thirty people said yes they would help the person
and four people said no they wouldnt. Figure 3. A pie chart showing the results of the survey

responses to the question, If you saw someone being racially discriminated against would you

Being Racially
Discriminated

help them?

If you saw someone being racially discriminated against would you help them?

12%

88%

Yes

No

As stated previously, the civil rights act of 1964 is a law that was put in place to help potential
and already hired employees from racial discrimination. This law prohibits the employer from
not hiring, firing and discipline a worker because they are of certain race. Also, it prohibits

Being Racially
Discriminated

employer from refusing an employee benefits because of there race. In 2014 the number of
reported cases of discrimination in the workplace were very high. In 2014 there was a total of
9,947 cases of discrimination reported and 35.4% of those cases were racial discrimination.
Although there are many laws that help prevent racial discrimination it still happens. The best
way to stop racial discrimination is to report the wrongful doing no matter where it happened.

What impact does racial discrimination have?


When a person is discriminated people fail to realize that it can hurt the person in many ways
than they know. A person who has been racially discriminated can be affected both physically
and mentally. Being discriminated can cause depression. As a result of feeling depressed the
person might turn to drugs as a way to feel better. Also as a result the person many become
financially unstable and or lose their job and do poorly in there academics. Any person of any
race could it could be a friend or family member. On March 27, 2016 a survey was conducted
asking a group of people of they knew someone who has been racially discriminated against
twenty-one people said yes and thirteen people answered no. Figure 4. A pie chart showing the
results of the survey responses to the question, Do you know someone who has been racially
discriminated?

Being Racially
Discriminated

10

Do you kknow someone who has beem racially discrminated?

38.24
61.76

Yes

No

Not only does racial discrimination hurts the person but also it huts communities and business.
When companies have incidents of discrimination it is up to them to deal with the situation.
When companies dont take the right action with dealing with these incidents this may lead to
failure of the company. Situations tend to make employees and consumers loose interest in that
company because they do not want to associate with a company who does not feel discrimination
is not a serious problem.
Conclusion
Racial discrimination is a crime that targets people of different races and those who associate
with them. The government has stepped in to help people of different races from being racially
discriminated. Even with laws put into place people are still being racially discriminated. Racial
discrimination causes many effects on people physically, mentally, socially and financially. As
more and more cases of racial discrimination gets reported the lesser the chances of a person
being racially discriminated in that particular place. Everyone should be treated as equals no
matter what their race is.

Being Racially
Discriminated

11

References
eschool today. (n.d.). Facts about discrmination. Retrieved from echool today
website: http://eschooltoday.com/discrimination-and-prejudice/effects-ofdiscrimination.html
Lombardo, c. R. (2014, March 14). Racial discrmination in the work place statistics.
Retrieved from Racial discrmination in the work place statistics: nkcatp.org
Matters, Y. E. (Director). (2012). What is Race Discrimination? [Motion Picture].
u.s court. (n.d.). History - Brown v. Board of Education Re-enactment. Retrieved
from History - Brown v. Board of Education Re-enactment:
http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/historybrown-v-board-education-re-enactment
u.s equal employment opputunity commision. (n.d.). u.s equal employment
opputunity commision. Retrieved from u.s equal employment opputunity
commision web site: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm
Vega, T. (2015, November 15). Race and Reality in America. Retrieved from
money.ccn: http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/25/news/economy/racialdiscrimination-work/

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