I'm going to have to read that one. I recently had the same realization myself. As you learn about African-American history, racism looks less like a vanishing relic of the past, and more like a looming spectre over America that keeps re-appearing and wreaking havoc in every generation.

The thing that really made the difference for me was visiting the Charles Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. I actually was there for a wedding but ended up touring the exhibit anyway.