These readings chronicle the triumphs and failures of race relations in our nation, unfolding the tensions and struggles of racial conflict through the analyses of sociologists writing since the late nineteenth century.

The forty-five articles gathered here are drawn from four of the most respected journals in the field: "American Journal of Sociology," "American Sociological Review," "Social Forces," and "Social Problems." Together, they document the problem of the 'color-line', providing for various eras the contemporary rationale for the status quo as well as farsighted calls for...