Peter Irons, a professor of political science at the University of California — San Diego came to campus this week to talk about racism in the last century, and racism that continues to this day.

"I usually start my talks like this: W.E.B. DuBois said, 'The problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line.' I say, the problem of the 21st century is still the color line," he said. "The question is, what are we going to do about it?"

Irons is the author of six books and is a practicing civil rights and liberties attorney. He also is this week's guest in residence at Allen Hall. His award winning books include Jim Crow's Children: The Broken Promise of the Brown Decision, and A People's History of the Supreme Court.

Irons is also being invited here during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."

Irons argued that two generations ago, black students all went to segregated schools, and they were generated to be that way for two reasons: blatant racism and to maintain a pool of cheap labor.

"The average African-American (at that time) was not educated past fifth grade," he said. "How can they possibly become a part of the professional class if they didn't get past fifth grade?"

Patrice Yao, sophomore in LAS, said she is interested in going to law school and felt that going to see Irons was a great opportunity to meet a law professor and to hear his experiences and views.

Irons said of the 25 largest public school districts in the nation, not a single one has a white majority. He said this is a result of a "return to the Jim Crow school system."

"Although (Jim Crow) is not a law, it's a reality," he said.

He gave the example of his visit to the five schools that joined the Brown v. Board case, and in four out of the five schools he visited, there was one that he said was still blatantly segregated.

"All of the white kids went to a private school, although the public school where the black kids went was better," he said. "It was brand new, but the white parents didn't want to send their kids to school with blacks."

On Monday night he led a talk in the Allen Hall main lounge titled where he spoke of his experiences being a college student and his participation in the Civil Rights movement.

"A lot has changed for the better, but the root of the problem is still not solved," Irons said.