Racism a Long History of Essay

Total Length: 652 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 0

Page 1 of 2

It also allowed unions to deny non-whites access to benefits of health care, job security and pensions. Housing was also affected. The revolutionary programs of the Federal Housing Administration were set up so that non-whites could not own homes. The system deemed integrated communities ineligible for home loans. Between 1934 and 1962 it was estimated that ninety eight percent of money for home loans went t whites. The government programs and policy caused the creation of segregated white suburbs around the country. To this day Black and Latinos have a smaller chance of successful mortgage applications.

As a result of this preferential treatment for whites over the generations, New York University economist Edward Wolf describes whites as having assets and net worth of eight times that of a typical African-American family. Even with equal incomes whites have double the wealth of blacks because of home ownership and inheritance from parents. The advantage is also passed on to the next generation.
The whites are in a better position to put their children through college, assist them with their own home purchase and to help through hard times. This wealth can be passed down through generations and so this racial wealth gap seems to have increased since the civil rights days. This is demonstrated by the fact that in 1865 after Emancipation African-Americans owned 0.5% of the total worth of the U.S. One hundred and thirty five years later in 1990 they still only owned 1% of the national wealth.

Despite all this whites still believe that race does not affect their lives. Some attribute differences in achievement to differences in ability and motivation. But sociologist Dalton Conley showed that the difference in performance between whites and other racial groups had nothing to do with nature but was due to unequal circumstances.

The author concludes that attempts to treat everyone the same does not reverse the unfair advantages that allowed.....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Racism A Long History Of" (2009, December 20) Retrieved May 18, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/racism-long-history-16085

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Racism A Long History Of" 20 December 2009. Web.18 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/racism-long-history-16085>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Racism A Long History Of", 20 December 2009, Accessed.18 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/racism-long-history-16085