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Racial minorities then and now: the continuing significance of race.

Article Excerpt
It has been 27 years since the last special issue on racial minorities appeared in Social Work. When the issue appeared in 1982, Jerome Schiele was pursuing an undergraduate degree in sociology at Hampton University. June Gary Hopps was editor of the 1982 special issue and had by then distinguished herself as a social work educator, scholar, and administrator. This generational difference provides an opportunity to reflect on the evolution and status of the social problems that racial minorities disproportionately experience and the response from the social work profession. Whether in the past or present, these minorities experienced and continue to experience social problems that in large part emanate from racial oppression. The social work profession's response to this form of injustice has varied over time and speaks to the specific social circumstances and challenges of a particular historical epoch.

EARLIER ISSUES AND PROBLEMS

The 1982 special issue emerged primarily from the need to examine the profession's contributions to the debate regarding and resolution of the issue of oppression and the success or lack of success relative to its leadership. When it was published, the editor of that issue viewed the term "minority" with skepticism because of its juxtaposition with "majority" and pejorative assumption of lesser value. Problems associated with the definition of minority were addressed by several contributors outlining concerns relative to African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Pacific Americans. Co-relatively, concerns of women were raised, recognizing the disadvantaged position of women of color in comparison with their European American counterparts who held and continue to hold "deferred power" meaning "more white women are in a socially advantageous position" (Hopps, 1982, p. 4). Why? "Because of their individual and collective relationships to the power structure" (Hopps, 1982, p. 4), they can use leverage that the vast majority of women and men of color can only imagine. Although their power base and potential for greater influence was obvious, no one should interpret this observation as implying that white privilege would diminish. It did not and is not only alive, but also thriving.

The 1982 special issue also emerged from questions regarding whether the social work profession benefited from the 1960s freedom struggles launched primarily by people of color. African Americans and other people of color were present, persistent, and persuasive in pressing their case for constitutionally granted political rights that were denied to them. No doubt, there were those who experienced and remembered the Holocaust and also shared the vision for major structural change. Because of the protests and political activities by the poor and the socially conscious, the cause for civil, human, and political rights was a priority. People of color received attention, and some rightful gains were realized. People of color were joined by other oppressed...

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