ABSTRACT
A fundamental need of the black community in Britain is to be freed from the disabling effects of white racism both in the individual and institutional forms. The title ‘community work and racism’ has been chosen to identify, at the outset, the primary issue for the black community. Unfortunately major central government reports in the 1960s which addressed the issue of the objectives of community development work, made no direct reference to the issue of racism. These reports make reference to now generally accepted objectives for community work, those of working with people to assist in the identification and articulation of needs to enable development of skills and the mobilisation of resources to contribute to community well-being. If white community workers are to take a more directive approach, at present the only possible approach to racism if it is to be challenged, they need to understand the dynamics of racism.
