Robert Moore, whose African American identity today may be questioned by some because of his very light skin color, grew up in an all-white suburb of Philadelphia in the 1960s when the push to assimilate was blatant. An examination of the life experiences of people sometimes felt to be at the perimeter, serves to point out that the racial categories of White and Black in America remain strong and impenetrable. The book spans nearly fifty years beginning in the author's youth to a contemporary period when he is a sociology teacher in a university classroom.

Including the work of nearly 20 authors from institutions such as American University, Memphis University, University of North Carolina, and Georgia State University, this essay collection explores the changing relationship between African Americans and whites on U.S. College and University campuses. These essays investigate and chronicle the tension and social distance felt between African Americans and whites in today's higher-education community. Many facets of the educational experience are examined including student-to-student contact, affinity group formation, Greek life, and the perceived effectiveness of courses on race taught by non-minorities. Although designed as supplemental reading for undergraduate and graduate students, and experts in the field, each chapter in African Americans and Whites includes three or four provocative questions suitable for classroom discussions.