Systemic racism is discrimination against certain racial minorities built into the foundation of systems for opportunities and growth. Systemic racism is largely prevalent and impactful in institutional and societal systems such as voting procedures and housing options that limit the abilities and opportunities of oppressed groups.
Systemic racism has become foundational in the United States largely because those systems were created in a time of discrimination. The government and American society haven’t properly addressed them since, and as such ideas like Critical Race Theory have become essentially factual (in my opinion). As a result, the institutional and societal systems that have racial bias and are severely outdated continue to dampen opportunities for minorities.
However, there is a larger issue with systemic racism and the cycle of bias it inflates. Systemic racism thrives on the biases of people in power to continue to perpetuate discrimination. At the same time, systemic racism fuels biases in individuals as it segregates minorities both physically and socially.
This is especially notable in the housing market. Although ethnic enclaves are partially self-created as racial minorities group together for a sense of cultural community, they are also a result of limited housing available to them. For example, African Americans have historically received less pay than their white counterparts and therefore can only afford cheaper housing options. Segregated housing in itself has its own consequences. According to the National Library of Medicine, “housing segregation by race obstructs Black opportunity and mobility, perpetuating racial disparities, challenging many Black Americans in ways White Americans never experience.” The article continues that White Americans also choose to segregate themselves from other races, creating white neighborhoods and establishing their own social systems separate from minorities.
Another crucial example of systemic racism is voting procedures. Historically, voting in the United States has had several barriers that existed solely to limit African Americans from voting through arbitrary requirements to register. These include the Grandfather Clause, literacy tests, and poll taxes that existed in several states to legally prevent African Americans from making it to the polls. Eventually, these were eliminated through amendments and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, there are still several voting registration requirements today that limit access to the polls. Limited poll hours and polling locations prevent blue-collar workers, especially African American and Hispanic voters, from making it to the polls on election day. Requirements for registration such as having a driver’s license or registered address make it astronomically difficult for Native Americans and urban voters to register.
Systemic racism fundamentally limits the social advancement and opportunities of racial minorities based on discriminatory practices that existed decades ago. This causes minority individuals to lose faith in the government meant to protect them and their futures. Moreover, minority individuals become apathetic to trying to enhance themselves or their communities knowing that the system they have to live in would never allow them to surpass a certain point anyway.
To most historians, the days of Jim Crow are over after the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. But this isn’t a reality for many people. Jim Crow simply took on a more modern and discrete form and thrives on the systemic racism that the United States cannot seem to shake.
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