American social problems

I've been trying to follow the uproar over Obama's race speech from the UK. I listened to what he said and was impressed. Then I watched some footage of Fox news anchors fighting over Obama saying his grandmother was a "typical white person" of her time. I understand what he means.

I have history books that my grandmothers used in the 1920s, and I can see that they were taught about 'the problem' of the 'Negro.' I had a new understanding of why they would have been more racist than I am, because they were taught it in school. This makes me think that maybe each successive generation will be less racist as institutionalized racism recedes?

Anyway, some examples (double click to enlarge) of what my grandmothers were taught in school from their textbook, American Social Problems by Henry Burch and Howard Patterson, published by the Macmillan Company in 1925: