The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

“We have created a caste system in this country, with African Americans kept exploited and geographically separate by racially explicit government policies. Although most of these policies are now off the books, they have never been remedied and their effects endure.” 

Rothstein highlights the enduring effects of discriminatory housing policies implemented in the 19th and 20th centuries. Caste systems describe structures of social stratification that disadvantage lower castes. Thus, even while the laws may have changed, the effects are still felt. Racial segregation continues to disadvantage African American communities today.

“The USHA manual warned that it was undesirable to have projects for white families ‘in areas now occupied by Negroes’ and added: ‘The aim of the [local housing] authority should be the preservation rather than the disruption of community social structures which best fit the desires of the groups concerned.’”

Rothstein cites government manuals, speeches by politicians and policymakers, and public policy documents to demonstrate how entrenched racial discrimination was. In this quote he cites the United States Housing Authority’s manual as evidence that the organization endorsed segregation.

“We like to think of American history as a continuous march of progress toward greater freedom, greater equality, and greater justice. But sometimes we move backward, dramatically so. Residential integration declined steadily from 1880 to the mid-twentieth century, and it has mostly stalled since then.” 

Rothstein highlights the need to fully understand our history. There is often an unquestioned belief that things become more just and equitable over time. While the period of Reconstruction saw considerable gains for African Americans, between 1880 and the mid-20th century, these gains were systematically rolled back by the passing of Jim Crow laws. A stronger awareness of history reveals that things do not improve if people do not demand change and vote accordingly.