The election of President Obama made US history.

By Lindsay Blair

The election of President Obama made US history. The United States greeted the first black President since time began with cries of hysteria and shouts of joy. When Obama was elected, many thought the path of racism saw an end. But with federal laws and visa restrictions binding many who come to the US for sanctity and with increasing prejudice against those coming from Latin America, the age of racism may be evolving rather than becoming obsolete.

CNN recently ran a series ‘Latino in America: Chasing the Dream’ which, for one of the first times, nationally and directly addressed the differences in attitudes between race, credentials and appearance regarding the prejudice against Latinos. It has been said that the fastest growing immigrant group in America, those coming from South and Central America, face some of the most prejudice in today’s society.

In a report, ‘Why racial and ethnical disparities persist’ released by the National Poverty Centre, January 2009, it states that the differences between social and official attitudes towards blacks and Latinos in America are still a dominant feature of race issues in society. The report, written by Ann Chih Lin and David R. Harris, says that Latinos, in particular, face higher rates of prejudice than black people, but the white society faces least prejudice and the most privileges overall.

“The implication of cumulative disadvantage is that racial disparities will be slow to yield to even overall improvements in equality. Meanwhile, the advantaged, who are most likely to see equality’s benefits, are protected from realizing that racial disadvantage traps others in poverty,” the report from the NPC says.

Despite persistent evidence that racial disparities do exist, the appointment of government officials of ethnic roots is becoming a stepping stone to reducing some prejudice. Sonia Sotomayor, of Latino descent, was recently appointed as the first Latina Supreme Court Judge...