America Beyond the Color Line

In Part 3 of four, Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. climbs an “Ebony Tower” to look at black life from the perspective of those who have “made it.” Secretary of State Colin Powell reviews his success and pronounces: “It happened in America.” But he is troubled by aspects of black pop culture he finds “self-limiting.” Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons calls black entrepreneurs such as himself “rebels,” but activist Lenora Fulani isn't so sure. “We need more nerds,” she says. Meanwhile, in a tony New Jersey suburb, a Wall Street executive complains about “subtle racism” but sees overall progress. “Economic empowerment is part of the movement,” he says. “It's the evolution.”