Throughout this country’s history, the hallmarks of American democracy – opportunity, freedom, and prosperity – have been largely reserved for white people through the intentional exclusion and oppression of people of color. The deep racial and ethnic inequities that exist today are a direct result of structural racism: the historical and contemporary policies, practices, and norms that create and maintain white supremacy.
At the Urban Institute, we examine how structural racism continues to disproportionately segregate communities of color from access to opportunity and upward mobility by making it more difficult for people of color to secure quality education, jobs, housing, health care, and equal treatment in the criminal justice system.
For decades, our researchers have called attention to the role of race and racism in our public and private institutions and offered evidence-based solutions for how to address these inequities. Our scholars will play a crucial role as we continue to elevate the public discourse around race and racism in America.
Photo by Max Herman/NurPhoto via Getty Images.
What would it take to overcome the damaging effects of structural racism and ensure a more equitable future?
How We Should Talk about Racial Disparities
By naming what creates and maintains racial disparities, we can challenge harmful narratives.
Say African American or Black, but First Acknowledge the Persistence of Structural Racism
Confronting racism and structural disadvantages faced by black people in the United States.