The idea that the US is in a post-racial generation “is absurd†the veteran civil rights activist, the Reverend Al Sharpton has told BBC HARDtalk.
"Clearly, we've made some progress, but I don't think we've gone anywhere near a fair and equal society, and I don't think racist attitudes have changed," he said.
There was misplaced optimism after the election of the US's first black president, Barack Obama, he explained.
"People said, 'we're not going to need the Al Sharptons anymore, the civil rights campaigners'. It seems they had to take that back."
"We still haven't solved a lot of the problems, but the fact we dealt with some of them is what gives me the faith and the strength to keep on fighting," he added.
BBC.COM