Race Manners: Navigating the Minefield Between Black and White Americans

On a plane, a black passenger nervously scrutinizes an Arab–American passenger. In front of a store, a white woman clutches her purse as a black man walks by. In conversation, the topic of race comes up and both people wonder what they are willing to say—and what they are not. Each scenario reveals that how we act and react to each other on a daily basis stems from racial assumptions, biases, and misunderstandings. Some we acknowledge, others we overlook.

In the wake of 9/11, confronting…