Welcome from the New Editors

Hayward Derrick Horton, Melvin E. Thomas, and John Sibley Butler

It is indeed an honor for us to take over the reins as coeditors of Issues in Race & Society. This is paradoxically both an exciting and sobering time to study race and ethnicity. One the one hand, scholarship in sociology as well as the social sciences in general has taken bold steps to articulate the role of racism in determining the lifestyles and life chances of blacks and other disadvantaged groups throughout the world. Nevertheless, racism arguably has become more overt at the macro, medial, and micro levels than at any time since the Civil Rights Era. Today, “living while black” is more than an abstraction. Indeed, the indignities, injustices, and even deaths experienced by black people at the hands of the dominant group and its gatekeepers make Issues in Race & Society all the more relevant. This journal is a place for scholarship that is unapologetic in its study of race and ethnicity. Not that every article necessarily takes a critical approach. But no topic is off limits. No methodology is forbidden. No school of thought is unacceptable. The only requirement is that the research on race and ethnicity is original and of high quality. Indeed, creativity and innovation are welcomed.

It is only fitting that the first issue under our auspices is this special issue on James E. Blackwell. Professor Blackwell was one of the founders of the Association of Black Sociologists. In fact, he was our first president. Professor Blackwell is the epitome of what a black scholar and activist should be. This special issue is edited by the esteemed scholars Rutledge M. Dennis and Wornie Reed. Therefore, we will refrain from being a redundancy to their excellent introduction. Suffice it to say that it is our honor to be the facilitators of this special issue.

We want to express our sincere thanks to Sandra Barnes. Professor Barnes is the founding editor of this journal and this special issue was initiated during her tenure. Her leadership, guidance, and patience were indispensable to the successful transition of the editorship of Issues in Race & Society. We will be eternally grateful for all she has done for us.

Finally, we want to thank you, the members of the Association of Black Sociologists, for entrusting us with the stewardship of our journal. We pledge to maintain the high standards that have been set by Professor Barnes. With your support, we know that the best is yet to come for Issues in Race & Society.

Hayward Derrick Horton

Melvin E. Thomas

John Sibley Butler