Old Parkland Conference 2024

The Case for Black Optimism

Since the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, black Americans have made enormous gains in life expectancy, educational attainment, household income, and cultural influence. Yet the persistence of black-white disparities dominates the discussion of race relations in America, contributing to a profound pessimism about the prospects for black advancement. Coleman Hughes, author of The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America, outlined how excessive race consciousness obscures racial progress and why a renewed commitment to color blindness is so essential.

The Case for Data-Driven Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A war is raging over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Supporters see DEI as essential for finding hidden talent in a world where racial discrimination persists. Opponents see it as a euphemism for reverse racism. Harvard University economist Roland Fryer made the case for a more rigorous and meritocratic approach to DEI, one that rejects unfair preferences and instead uses data to unlock the potential of disadvantaged groups.

Beyond School Choice

Building on rising enrollment in the charter sector, a growing number of states are further embracing school choice by establishing education savings accounts (ESAs). Drawing on a range of disciplines, Katharine Birbalsingh, Michael Hartney, Margaret Raymond, and Ian Rowe discussed the rise of ESAs and what they might mean for black families seeking new educational options.

Life After Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard

Now that the Supreme Court has found racial preferences in college admissions to be unconstitutional, how will elite higher education respond? Will they abandon racial preferences or work harder to conceal them? Legal experts Ralph Richard Banks, Renu Mukherjee, Mene Ukueberuwa, and Devon Westhill discussed the implications of the Students for Fair Admissions decision for admissions offices and what’s to come in the battle over affirmative action.

The State of the Black Family

Black families face a number of profound challenges. Black women are only half as likely as their white counterparts to have a husband or cohabitating partner. Close to 70 percent of black children are born to unmarried mothers. And among black parents of two or more children, 40 percent had children with more than one partner. Ralph Richard Banks, Rafael A. Mangual, and Ian Rowe addressed the role of family structure in shaping life outcomes for black Americans and offer strategies for strengthening fragile families.

The Case for Urban Conservatism

Faced with myriad challenges, from street homelessness to the rise of remote work, American cities are undergoing a crisis of confidence. As mayor of Dallas, Eric L. Johnson has urged the nation’s urban centers to reject progressive virtue-signaling in favor of a back-to-basics approach that champions law and order and practices fiscal conservatism. In this fireside chat, Mayor Johnson discussed his mayoral agenda and what conservatives can do to spark a nationwide urban revival.

Race and Economic Opportunity in the United States

Harvard University economist Raj Chetty presented new research on the sources of intergenerational disparities across racial and ethnic groups and how community fabric and employment contribute to economic mobility.

The Future of Black Identity

Black America is in the midst of a demographic and cultural transformation. Over 20 percent of black Americans are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Rising educational attainment has given rise to a new black elite. And in a reversal of the Great Migration, younger, college-educated black Americans are leaving Northern and Western areas for growing metropolitan regions in Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Against a backdrop of declining segregation and rising intermarriage, Reihan Salam, Delano Squires, Mene Ukueberuwa, and Chloé Valdary examined the forces reshaping black identity.

The Fading of Black Political Unity

Since the Great Society era, black voters have been largely united behind the Democratic Party. In 2012, for example, Barack Obama won 93 percent of the black vote. More recently, however, a rising share of young, working-class black voters have turned away from the Democratic coalition. Charles Blain, Marshall Kosloff, Jason Riley, and Ruy Teixeira addressed the changing nature of the black electorate and how it might affect American electoral politics in 2024 and beyond.

Unleashing Black Entrepreneurship

One major driver of America’s racial wealth gap is the dearth of black-owned businesses. Business ownership is a major driver of family wealth in America, and only 2 percent of US businesses with more than one worker are owned by black Americans. Cliff Barber, Richard A. Johnson III, Frances McNeal, and Enisha Shropshire addressed the structural and cultural barriers to black entrepreneurships and offer thoughts on how to overcome them.