By now in 2018, most Americans know the definition of racism. More than simply knowing the definition, most of us believe we understand the meaning behind the word and the nuances attached to it and most of us believe that there is no way we could possibly be racist. Saying the n-word in public is frowned upon by numerous different social circles, American parents allow their children to socialize with other black children, and after all, everyone seems to have a connection, personal or distant, to a black person. Wouldn’t this prove America is now post-racial, leaving racism a thing of the past? Claudia Rankine’s Citizen beautifully proves to her audience that we as Americans are, in fact, living within a racist society. By writing short, yet powerful, accounts of seemingly blatant instances of racism, Rankine reminds us of similar memories and puts a name to the problem we likely missed in the moment: racism. She does not just remind us of situations where racism is clear and solid. Instead, Rankine chooses to include examples of racism that are more common and relatable, lays out the facts for her readers, and makes the presence of racism within the interaction undeniable. For example, section I end with an account of a therapist mistaking a black client for a random black person or, as the therapist make clear through their actions, a threat despite the client doing nothing wrong. In fact, the client did exactly what most other clients did, but was treated like an animal. Rankine does an incredible job of exposing American society to the unrecognized racism within themselves through these short pieces, proving we have definitely not reached a post-racial society.