Systemic Barriers—Discrimination in Policy and Practice

In Episode 2 of our series, we dive into the systemic barriers that have hindered Black economic advancement throughout the 20th century. From redlining and segregation to employment discrimination, we explore how discriminatory policies have shaped economic disparities for Black Americans. This episode uncovers how these practices limited wealth accumulation, denied access to homeownership, and perpetuated inequalities in education and employment. Join us as we break down the impact of these systemic barriers and how they continue to affect Black communities today.

Building upon our historical understanding from the previous episode,let us now focus on the systemic barriers that have restrained Black economic advancement throughout the 20th century. The legacy of slavery and early discriminatory practices laid the groundwork for a series of policies and societal norms that continued to oppress Black Americans long after emancipation. In this episode, I’m going to discuss the hows, whys, and whats about discriminatory policies, i.e., redlining, segregation, and employment discrimination, which have severely limited wealth accumulation and access to opportunities. We explore how inequalities in education and housing have perpetuated the wealth gap, examining how these factors affect Black communities today.