Racism in America: History and Consequences

Enslavement and the creation of racial hierarchy. Indigenous displacement and racialized expansion. Early laws encoding white supremacy. How racial ideology justified exploitation.

The collapse of Reconstruction protections. Jim Crow laws enforcing racial separation. Racial terror and disenfranchisement. How segregation shaped generations of inequality.

School funding tied to neighborhood wealth. Curriculum biases in history and culture. Discipline disparities and zero-tolerance policies. The school-to-prison pipeline’s long-term impact.

Hiring bias and discriminatory workplace culture. Wage gaps and limited advancement opportunities. Barriers to business ownership and capital. Generational wealth shaped by past policies.

Redlining and segregated neighborhoods. Environmental racism and exposure to hazards. Healthcare access and medical bias. Health disparities driven by chronic stress.

Over-policing and unequal enforcement. Sentencing disparities and incarceration rates. Impact of criminal records on employment. How systemic bias undermines community trust.

Reforming education, housing, and policing. Targeted economic investment and opportunity. Representation in leadership and institutions. Building systems that work for all communities.