Introduction

Racism in America is not just a historical artifact; it is woven into the very fabric of the nation’s foundation. From slavery to Jim Crow and mass incarceration, racial oppression has persisted in evolving forms. As long as society ignores the suffering of marginalized communities, the cycle of injustice will continue. One of the greatest failures in this ongoing struggle is the justice system, particularly public defense, which often denies people of color a fair chance to protect themselves. This systemic neglect proves that the promise of civil rights remains unfulfilled.

1. Racism as America’s DNA: A Historical Perspective

• The phrase “racism is built into the DNA of America” suggests that racial injustice is not an accident or anomaly but an inherent feature of the nation’s structure.
• The U.S. was founded on slavery, segregation, and laws that explicitly dehumanized Black people.
• Even after slavery’s abolition, legal systems were created to maintain racial hierarchies, including Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, and redlining policies.
• This systemic oppression was not just about segregation but about control—dictating where Black people could live, work, and even where they could be buried.

2. The Broken Promise of Civil Rights

• The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s fought to dismantle racial barriers, yet many of those rights exist more in theory than in practice.
• Disparities in policing, sentencing, and incarceration rates show that Black and Brown communities remain disproportionately targeted and punished.
• The failure of the public defense system leaves many people of color vulnerable to wrongful convictions, excessive sentencing, and unfair treatment in court.
• If the legal system does not guarantee equal protection under the law, then civil rights remain an unfulfilled promise.

3. Jim Crow Never Left—It Just Evolved

• Although explicit segregation laws have been abolished, their spirit lives on through discriminatory policies and practices.
• The past saw laws prohibiting Black and white individuals from sharing cemeteries, hospitals, and schools. Today, racial disparities in healthcare, education, and housing persist.
• “New Jim Crow” policies, such as voter suppression laws and mass incarceration, continue to disenfranchise Black communities.
• Private prisons and forced prison labor mirror the economic exploitation of slavery, reinforcing the idea that slavery never truly ended—it simply took a different form.

4. Mass Incarceration: Modern-Day Slavery

• The 13th Amendment abolished slavery except as punishment for a crime, creating a loophole that allows forced labor within prisons.
• The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown individuals.
• Many incarcerated individuals are denied basic human rights, including fair trials, adequate legal representation, and humane conditions.
• Prisons function as profit-driven institutions, ensuring that mass incarceration remains a deeply embedded part of America’s system.

Conclusion

America’s racial injustice is not a relic of the past—it is an ongoing reality. As long as people of color are denied fair treatment under the law, the country’s civil rights promises will remain unfulfilled. The justice system, particularly public defense, must be reformed to provide equal protection. Until America confronts and dismantles the racism embedded in its foundation, the cycle of oppression will continue, proving that Jim Crow never truly died—it simply evolved.