Riot
A violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd. In the context of the article, this term refers to the burning of buildings, break-ins, and looting that occurred in impoverished neighborhoods throughout the United States during what became known as the "lo
Lyndon Johnson (1908-1973)
President of the United States from 1963-1969. One of his signature programs was the Great Society, meant to eliminate racial injustice and poverty. He signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act o
Kerner Commission
A group that was tasked by President Lyndon Johnson to compose a report analyzing the racial unrest seen in several American cities in 1967. This information compiled by this group determined that poverty and institutional racism were the root causes of t
Civil rights
Individual rights that are guaranteed and protected by the Constitution of the United States and federal laws passed by Congress. Throughout American history, these rights were not always upheld, especially with respect to African Americans. To change thi
Jesse Jackson
A civil rights activist and presidential candidate. During the civil rights movement, he participated in protests to desegregate businesses in Greensboro, North Carolina. He also participated in the march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, w
Structural inequality
A system that prioritizes the success of one group over others through institutions such as the government (through policies and laws), educational opportunities, access to healthcare, and coverage in the media. Through this prioritization, the policies n
Segregation
Forced racial separation and inequality commonly associated with the South after the Civil War. Members of the Black and white races were separated through legislation referred to as Jim Crow laws, passed by Redeemer governments and upheld by the Supreme
Ghetto
Historically, the term refers to a location that a group has been restricted to segregate them from the rest of society; it was traditionally used to refer to areas where Jewish people lived in European cities. The term "racial ghetto" refers to segregate
Institutions
An established organization. It includes such things as the economy, government, education, and medical care.
Systemic inequalities
Disparities (unfair differences) in the opportunities available to one group compared to another, enforced formally and informally through discriminatory policies and practices of a society's institutions (including government, the criminal justice system
Infant mortality rate
The number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. Within the context of the article this phrase is used to provide information on ways that racial progress has been made.
Poverty rate
The number of people in the United States who are impoverished (earn less income than the number set by the government as necessary to adequately survive in a given year). In the article, the author explains that the poverty rate of Black people is nearly
Median
The midpoint of a sorted list of numbers. In the context of the article, the author explains that the midpoint value of all wealth held by a typical white family is approximately ten times the wealth of a typical black family.
When analyzing financial dis
Wealth
The total monetary value of all assets (e.g., money, stocks, retirement accounts, homes, cars) owned by a person or household. Within the context of the article, a comparison of wealth between white households and Black households is used to show the econ
Racial economic progress
The degree of improvement in finances (i.e., wealth and income) for Black people in the United States. In the context of the article, it is asserted that the movement towards financial equity for African Americans has either stopped or gone backwards.
Economist
A person who studies how wealth is produced, consumed, or transferred. In the article, these people provide guidance on the methods that would best help to improve the financial well-being of the nation.
Earnings gap
The difference in the salary earned by white people compared to Black people. In the context of the article, this information is provided to show that the disparity in wages has not changed much over the past 50 years. This fact is notable because, over t
Federal government
The national government of the United States which is made up of the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The author of the article argues that the government�s discriminatory practices of the past had such a major impact tha
Fair Labor Standards Act
A law passed in 1966 which was intended to protect workers against unfair labor practices. This law specifically focused on workplaces in which Black people were overrepresented to ensure jobs in these sectors were eligible for minimum wage. The passage o
Disparities in homeownership
The difference between the number of Black people who own homes compared to white people who own homes. Due to racist
Redlining
A form of systemic racism in the banking sector that severely restricted opportunities for Black people to buy homes, reduced the value of property in neighborhoods inhabited by Black people, and led to the erosion of Black communities. Its name comes fro
Exclusionary federal housing assistance
The intentional withholding of opportunities for Black Americans to access support from the federal government to purchase a house. One of the most famous examples of this was the withholding of federal funds promised to veterans through the GI Bill. Whil
Social mobility
The movement of a person or group from one social class to another over time. Within the context of the article, Harvard economist Raj Chetty states that limited social mobility of Black people in America is due to the racist policies of the past.
Life outcomes
The way a person's life turns out. This includes factors such as how long a person will live, how happy and healthy they will be, and the level of their affluence.
Upward mobility
An improvement in one's social class. Harvard economist Raj Chetty's research shows that neighborhoods play a significant role in determining a person's chances of experiencing improved financial outcomes. Due to the impact of systemic racism, Black peopl
Discrimination
The unequal treatment of an individual or group. It can be a result of prejudice (judging someone before knowing them), but the terms are not interchangeable.
Mass incarceration
A description of the large proportion of the American population confined to prisons (compared to other nations). This system places Black men behind bars at a disproportionately higher rate than men of other races.
Implicit and explicit bias
Implicit bias" refers to the unconscious stereotypes and prejudices people hold which cause them to act in unintended ways. Conversely, "explicit biases" are conscious beliefs that people hold in which a person's actions are conducted with a specific int
Stereotypes
Oversimplified assumptions (typically negative) made about people based on their race, gender, education status, or other factors. Within the context of the article, it is made clear that racial biases like these simplistic assumptions have led to institu