The ‘Colorblindness’ Trap: How a Civil Rights Ideal Got Hijacked

The fall of affirmative action is part of a 50-year campaign to roll back racial progress.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 15, 2024 The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leading marchers from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery to demand voting rights, March 1965. Photo illustration by Mark Harris. Photograph by Bruce Davidson/Magnum Photos. FEATURES Photo illustration by Mark Harris. Source: Bruce Davidson/Magnum Photos. The 'Colorblindness' Trap: How a Civil Rights Ideal Got Hijacked The fall of affirmative action is part of a 50-year campaign to roll back racial progress. By Nikole Hannah-Jones Shuran Huang for The New York Times Five Takeaways From Nikole Hannah-Jones's Essay on the 'Colorblindness' Trap How a 50-year campaign has undermined the progress of the civil rights movement. By Nikole Hannah-Jones Photo illustration by Amy Friend What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living Researchers are documenting a phenomenon that seems to help the dying, as well as those they leave behind. By Phoebe Zerwick Holly Andres for The New York Times My Goldendoodle Spent a Week at Some Luxury Dog 'Hotels.' I Tagged Along. How exactly did dogs take over our world? This writer journeys into the bespoke pet care industry to find out. By Sam Apple Mamadi Doumbouya for The New York Times Talk Jeremy Strong Isn't Sure He Knows Who He Is After "Succession," says the actor, "I felt a profound sense of, Was this the event of my life?" By David Marchese COLUMNS Shawn Michael Jones for The New York Times Letter of Recommendation I Used to Cringe at Self-Help Books. Until This One Changed My Life. How a best-selling classic from 1992 helped me rediscover my creativity. By Jillian Steinhauer Photo illustration by Alicia Tatone Screenland People Hated 'Madame Web' — But They Were Desperate to See Dakota Johnson Mock It. T​he star has never quite said the movie was bad, but it's fun to imagine a celebrity going scorched-earth on her own bad movie. By Peter C. Baker Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Andie McMahon. An Indulgent, Crunchy and Molten-Cheese-Covered Chicken Delight The classic chicken Parmesan gets a Za'atar and melted halloumi twist. By Yotam Ottolenghi Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist My Wife Plans to End Her Life. Should I Tell My Very Religious Father? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on whether to disclose a delicate decision to a loved one who may oppose it. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Illustration by Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy Judge John Hodgman on the Lake Michigan Truther His wife finds it offensive that he says it should also be considered part of Lake Huron. By John Hodgman Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist My Ex-Boss Sexually Harassed Me. Do I Owe Him Credit When Sharing Past Work? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on how to uphold a professional expectation after leaving an abusive workplace. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. For narrated versions of our articles and more audio journalism, download New York Times Audio, a new iOS app available for news subscribers. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving The New York Times Magazine, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018