Introduction: A System, Not an Accident
Racism wasn’t born out of ignorance or hatred. It was carefully crafted as a tool—designed, sharpened, and wielded to protect power and privilege. Its purpose has always been clear: to justify oppression, exploitation, and, most critically, the hoarding of resources by those at the top. It is a system, not an accident, and its deliberate construction continues to shape every facet of society.
1. The Criminalization of Blackness
From Reconstruction to today, Blackness has been systematically criminalized to justify exclusion and violence. Black people have been labeled as inherently dangerous, not to address crime, but to maintain control. This narrative has long served as a tool to dehumanize Black individuals and uphold systemic oppression.
2. Freedom and Whiteness
The idea of freedom in America has always been tied to whiteness. Liberty has never been for all—it’s been reserved for those who benefit from the exclusion of others. For everyone else, freedom has been conditional at best. Housing segregation, redlining, and restrictive covenants didn’t happen by chance; they were policies designed to deny Black families access to wealth-building opportunities while white suburbs thrived.
3. Generational Wealth and Systemic Exclusion
Generational wealth didn’t just “happen” for white families—it was handed to them through loans, policies, and opportunities systematically denied to Black families. Black people were locked out, while white families were let in. This wasn’t a coincidence but a deliberate outcome of systemic racism. The racial wealth gap we see today is the direct result of these policies, and its effects have compounded across generations.
4. Racism in Healthcare
The exploitation of Black bodies extends into healthcare. From experiments conducted without consent to the denial of proper care, Black pain was treated as a resource to be exploited rather than a reality to be addressed. This legacy of abuse lives on in the disparities we see today, from maternal mortality rates to access to quality care.
5. Lies by Omission: The Narrative We’re Taught
The history taught in schools is carefully curated, often omitting the full truth. These omissions shape our understanding of what is normal and acceptable, obscuring the reality of systemic racism. The truth is that Black people didn’t just contribute to America’s wealth—they were the engine of its economy. Cotton was king not because of the soil, but because of the stolen labor that made it profitable. America’s wealth was built on the backs of enslaved Black people, yet their contributions are rarely given the acknowledgment they deserve.
6. Silencing Black Voices
Black Americans have long fought for justice, but their demands are often met with resistance. The system reacts to their anger as if the anger itself is the problem, rather than addressing the conditions that created it. Black women, in particular, face constant silencing, despite being at the forefront of every fight for liberation.
7. Reparations: Justice, Not Charity
Reparations are not charity—they are justice. For centuries, Black Americans have been robbed of wealth, opportunities, and futures. Reparations are the first step toward repairing this harm and fulfilling the promise of equality that America has long failed to deliver. They are not about making up for the past but about creating a foundation for a just and equitable future.
Conclusion: A Call to Face the Truth
Racism is not an accident—it is a system intentionally designed to maintain power and privilege. Its impacts permeate housing, healthcare, education, and wealth. To dismantle this system, we must first confront its deliberate construction. Only by acknowledging the full truth of our history and addressing the harm it has caused can we move toward the promise of equality and justice for all.
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