Diane Carpenter Emling holds a PhD in Sociology, emphasizing political economy, from Michigan State University. She is retired from a 30-year career teaching Sociology at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Michigan, as well as from adjunct teaching appointments at Michigan State University's James Madison College and the School of Social Work, Ferris State University, and Grand Valley State University. She conducts Institutional Racism seminars and Implicit Bias training along with other public speaking.

Introduction: What is Race?; PART I: Concepts and Context: 1 Acculturation and Assimilation; 2 Immigration and the American Dream; PART II: The Social Institutions at Work: 3 Land; 4 Housing; 5 Education; 6 Health; 7 Social Wellbeing and Employment; 8 Criminal Justice; 9 Family; 10 Voting Rights; PART III: So What Can We Do?: Conclusion: Necessary but not sufficient; Appendix A: Reflections on restorative justice; Appendix B: Sociological theories; Appendix C: Timeline of key events