Race Relations in Florida

Term Paper # 117717

African-American Studies > 1950-Present

An examination of the writer's experiences of race relations in professional trades in Florida.

1,900 words () | 4 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses race relations in Florida. It particularly explores race relations within professional trades in the area. The paper presents the experiences of the writer who is employed as a carpenter in the state of Florida and then explores the relationship of the races in the area in order to better enable the writer to live and thrive within his environment.

Table of Contents:
Introduction to Race Relations in Florida
The Local Community and Race
The Government and Racial Relations
Schools and Race
Race and the Workplace
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Racial relations within Florida are for the most part clear; however there are still very real tensions which exist. In my work alone I experience directly the results of former discrimination and current affirmative action. Throughout my experience of education and current enrollment I can see that racial relations are a topic of great concern to many people. The leaders of the communities and state seem to care, as the One Florida initiative would indicate, and in my personal interactions I seek to foster positive racial relations, as to me it is a non-issue and thus it does not become one. While some in the community may treat those who are different in a discriminatory fashion, such attitudes seem to be fading as time progresses. I do not particularly agree with some of the decisions of leadership, particularly those of allocating a certain number of jobs to minority contractors, as I think it should be entirely based upon price and quality, but I also understand that there are a less minority contractors due to past discrimination, so efforts in the present, while inconvenient, are excusable in the least. Overall, I am content with the racial relations within the community of Florida, and given the chance to improve anything, I would seek only to enhance the feeling of togetherness and to advance the fading of color-boundaries and lines."

Sample of Sources Used:

"Florida Residents See Progress in Race Relations, Survey Says." Tampa Tribune (Tampa, FL) (Feb 8, 2002): NA. General OneFile. Gale. Worcester Public Library. Retrieved on 26 October 2008, from: <http://find.galegroup.com.ezwx.ez.cwmars.org:58000/itx/start.do?prodId=ITOF>.
Howard, Mark R. "Not Fair, Not Yet." Florida Trend 43.2 (June 2000): 116. General OneFile. Gale. Worcester Public Library. Retrieved on 26 October 2008, from: <http://find.galegroup.com.ezwx.ez.cwmars.org:58000/itx/start.do?prodId=ITOF>.
"Shortage of Black Faculty Prompts Florida Law School To Hire Race Relations Consultant. (Brief Article)." Black Issues in Higher Education 17.18 (Oct 26, 2000): 14. Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale. Worcester Public Library. Retrieved on 26 October 2008, from: <http://find.galegroup.com.ezwx.ez.cwmars.org:58000/itx/start.do?prodId=EAIM>.
"Tom Bearden Has the Florida Story." One Florida. Retrieved on 26 October 2008, from: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june00/florida_6-2.html