On this side of the pond it's unfortunately a completely different story. You are judged first by the color of your skin. Being black immediately puts you in "2nd class" status regardless of anything else. And the ridiculous fears and stereotypes that go along with it. You have to more or less "prove" that you are worthy of same respect as an average white person. And even then there are lingering doubts.
Here's an example that I personally witnessed but at the time didn't totally understand what was going on. (And a good thing I didn't or there would have been the possibility that I'd be arrested).....
Her and I are in a children's clothing store and she is purchasing items for her grand daughter. We get up to the cashier to pay for the items and she has a discount card for that store but can't find the card. So the clerk, a white woman, asks her for her phone number which will bring up the discount info. So the clerk types it in and while we can't see the screen the look on her face said it all. The name that came up can't possibly be the black woman standing in front of me. You could see "identity theft" written all over her face. But luckily the clerk came to her senses and continued with the sale. Yes bitch...a black woman CAN have the last name of "McCarthy".
Lady Copper knew exactly what was going on and took the high ground and said nothing. Turns out this happens often and she's almost used to it. Isn't that a shame? Your name doesn't fit who you are supposed to "look like" therefore you are a criminal. Me? After I got over the shock of what I saw I was pissed for hours and wanted to kill someone. You don't know how demeaning and insulting a situation like that can be. And black folk have to put up with this on a daily basis.
Oh, we Germans are cured and not racist at all, are we?
No, we aren't.
Last year I was at a local DIY-store ("Baumarkt") to collect some things I needed for a repair in our apartment.
It was a busy day and when I came nearer to the check-out I saw long queues winding up to the individual check-outs.
Except for one. It was open.
But: The cashier -a young woman- wore a headscarf -obviously a Muslim woman.
Frankly, I was shocked, I hadn't experienced such a clear act of racism before in Germany.
I drove my shopping cart straight to her check-out, paid, had a little, friendly small talk (she had no accent whatsoever..) ignored the other people at the nearby check-outs and went through and out of the store.
While I was checking out I was hoping that others would follow me -'cause no one likes queueing up if there's a shorter queue -or in this case: no queue.
No one followed me as long as I could notice it and I felt very bitter afterwards.
edit: This feeling of bitterness is still there, after writing these lines it has come a bit more out of the shadows where it was hiding since then.