It has been said that we now live in a post-racial society. Statistics show that Blacks are graduating from college in record numbers. The Black middle- and upper-classes are noteworthy. Black and brown folks are negotiating the international marketplace in unprecedented ways. But most people who espouse a post-racial perspective point to the election of Barack Obama, the first Black President of the United States, as the linchpin in their argument. It is true - few people could have possibly imagined that, in light of the legacy of chattel slavery and Jim Crow, a Black man would be elected leader of the Western world. Such dramatic changes have resulted in a new understanding of race for many Blacks and non-Blacks alike. Yet segments of the Black populace continue to experience poverty, health inequities, and social injustices. The HIV/AIDS pandemic rages. The chasm between the "haves" and "have nots" grows. And racism continues. Based on both the successes and suffering found in the Black community, sociologists are challenged to consider how race, racism, and race-related dynamics are manifesting in the "Obama age". We are compelled to examine what race means anew as well as how it is framed in academic discourses and in the lives of everyday citizens. Responding to this challenge will require us to think in prophetic ways. Appropriating aspects of Lincoln and Mamiya's Black Church dialectic will inform our efforts. A prophetic mode of inquiry is inherently inquisitive, proactive, culturally sensitive, introspective, collaborative, and creative. A prophetic posture is not necessarily religious, but is invariably radical. Prophetic research is framed by sound sociological approaches. Yet it is not afraid to venture into other disciplines and thought processes. Innovative teaching and uncompromised mentoring are required. Most importantly, re-positioning race based on a prophetic stance means recognizing that rigorous academic research is impotent without applied efforts and social policy that empower the Black community and other disenfranchised people worldwide. One is not required to be Black or a sociologist to participate, but one must be willing to center the experiences of the historically oppressed. Where injustices are concerned, prophetic supporters talk less and do more. Does race as we have known it still matter? How is it being reconstructed at both institutional and individual levels? How must sociologists, other researchers, community leaders, and students re-position race to do justice to the many triumphs and continued trials in the Black community? ABS is challenged to grapple with these exciting, often-troubling complexities. As you begin to organize panels, sessions, roundtables, and other activities for the 40th annual ABS meeting in Atlanta, Georgia - think on these things. Start now! I look forward to your thoughts, ideas, and engagement. Be proactive about your involvement so that ABS will continue to be at the forefront of prophetic research, teaching, and service.

Dr. Sandra L. Barnes, ABS President-Elect