African-Americans should understand that change in American treatment of minorities is possible and has already occurred to a degree, Professor of Law Randall L. Kennedy said yesterday in a speech in Sever Hall.

Speaking at a Black Students Association meeting, Kennedy reminded students of the improvements in Black Americans' lives due to the legislation of the civil rights era and said that further steps toward true racial justice are necessary.

"It's important to remember that Douglas Wilder, a Black American, is governor of Virginia," Kennedy said. That would not have been possible in his father's time, he said.

Kennedy stressed the role of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 in helping American Blacks break through barriers ofracism.

And although some might object thatAfrican-Americans in high positions are "tokens,"Kennedy said, "the head of the armed forces of theUnited States [Gen. Colin Powell] is not a token."

But many African-Americans still face barriersof racism and economic injustice, Kennedy said,and Black voters and leaders should be realisticabout trying to reach their goals.

"You have to articulate your demands in a waythat will attract other people," he said, "notmerely in terms of "is this good for Blackpeople?'"

Kennedy faced a number of questions from hisaudience after his speech.

One student, mentioning that Black-ownedbusinesses are even more rare now than they werein the 1960s, asked if the lives ofAfrican-Americans have really improved.

Kennedy responded that, although "there wassome good" prior to the civil rights era, "therewas a lot of bad," and the increased culturalintegration and political leverage that Blackshave achieved is a step forward, not back