One of the biggest obstacles in improving race relations is that many whites don't understand the history of black suffering and mistreatment in America, a former New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner said Thursday.

        Anthony Lewis delivered the fourth annual Theodore M. Berry Distinguished Lecture on Public Policy and Human Rights at Music Hall. His talk focused on African-American injustice.

        During a press conference earlier in the day, Mr. Lewis weighed in on last April's riots, the Cincinnati boycott, the city's landmark racial profiling settlement and the state of race relations in America.

        “I don't think we've solved the problem of racism in our country and Cincinnati is a testament to that truth,” Mr. Lewis said. “Many in the majority population simply cannot understand the extent of the fear, anger and frustration many African-Americans feel because of years of suffering and injustice.”

        Mr. Lewis said institutions like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center are important because they provide a venue to “call attention to the suffering” and teach people about these little-known or talked about parts of American history.

        Mr. Lewis said the agreement reached earlier this month in a racial profiling lawsuit in Cincinnati is a positive step toward healing wounded police-community relations. Police brutality remains one of the biggest concerns among blacks nationwide, he said.

        As for the boycott, Mr. Lewis said only that boycotts have historically been used to draw attention to issues and compel change. In most instances, he said, boycotts are resolved when dueling sides come to the table for negotiations.

        Mr. Lewis said it is not just in blacks' best interest to end the bane of racism, but in America's best interest as well.

        “America has a historic obligation to African-Americans and a current interest in meeting that obligation,” he said. “To meet that obligation we have to make sure that African-Americans have every chance to become part of the advanced society. That means giving those in the underclass a chance to get out.”

        That's why affirmative action and other anti-discrimination programs remain crucial, particularly in education, he said.

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