Many deny that racism remains pervasive in America today. How can we open eyes to the continuing disadvantages that keep many people of color from fulfilling their potential, and having an equal chance to achieve the “American Dream”?
By presenting the impact of racism on the most innocent and powerless members of society– children of color – in the form of statistics, this book hopes to change attitudes and perceptions.
Children have no say about where they are born or what school they attend. They have no control over whether or not they get medical treatment when they fall ill. They can’t avoid exposure if home is in a community blighted by pollution. The questions this book poses are: What responsibility do we expect children to take for their life circumstances? Do those conditions blight their futures? If they aren’t responsible, who is? Are some in society privileged and complicit in denying people of color the advantages and protections from harm most of us take for granted?
Though the cumulative effect of official statistics rather than the more usual reliance on anecdote – by taking a “show me the numbers!” approach – this book hopes to open minds, start conversations, and even prompt readers to take action.
While the numbers are official they are often hard to find because they are scattered across so many sources. Art Munin has not only done the research, but shows the reader how to locate data on racial and socio-economic disparities, and develop her or his own case or classroom project.
Color by Number takes as its metaphorical point of departure the familiar children’s activity of that name. Art Munin has painstakingly researched and gathered the numbers, and has filled in the spaces to reveal the hidden picture of racism in America from the perspectives of health, the environment, the law, and education.
