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In this Editorial Feature Review, we reached out to senior race/racism and ethnicity scholars who have theoretically, epistemologically, and empirically contributed in major ways to what we now call the sociology of race and ethnicity. We wanted to pay our respects to these mothers and fathers of the discipline and the gifts that they have given our discipline over their careers. Our review was guided by a set of six key questions that cover their views of the field in the early parts of their careers, their experiences along the way, their views of what is going on now in the discipline, and their advice and suggestions to those currently practicing sociologies of race and ethnicity. We highlight eight major lessons from central scholars who have inspired generations of academics and whose leadership, mentorship, and scholarship, will never be forgotten.

The graduate student experience, for many, can be a time of great stress, insecurity, and uncertainty. Overwhelmingly, studies verify that good mentoring is one of the best indicators of graduate student success. In this literature review, we outline in detail previous research that attest to these experiences, and pay specific attention to the experiences of students of color. In general, our read of the literature suggests that academia, in general, and sociology, in particular, does not do a good job of mentoring graduate students of color. We begin our essay with an overview of graduate student experiences. Next, we discuss the mentoring side of the equation, addressing reasons that might explain variations in how students are mentored in higher education. Finally, we end with some thoughts on what faculty and departments can do to address the inadequate mentoring of graduate students of color.