Modern Consequences of Slavery
The past isn’t behind us. It’s present in policy, health, and wealth.
Though slavery was officially abolished over 150 years ago, its legacy persists in deeply entrenched social, economic, and institutional disparities. These modern consequences continue to harm African American communities across the United States.
Racial Wealth Gap
White families have a median wealth over 7 times greater than that of Black families. Generational wealth built through homeownership, business equity, and land ownership was systematically denied to African Americans.
Healthcare Inequities
Black Americans experience higher rates of chronic illness, lower access to quality care, and maternal mortality rates nearly three times higher than their white counterparts. These disparities stem from both economic and structural racism.
Housing Discrimination
Redlining, predatory lending, and unequal access to home loans have denied Black families the same opportunities to build wealth and community stability through housing.
Mass Incarceration
Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of whites, despite similar crime rates. The prison industrial complex profits from racialized policing and sentencing.
Underfunded Education
Predominantly Black schools receive significantly less funding than white counterparts, impacting generations of children’s opportunities and outcomes.
Understanding these present-day consequences is essential to advocating for justice and reparations.
What You Can Do
Learn. Share. Organize. Sign the petition. Support local and national efforts that demand justice and repair. Our blood remembers—so must our laws, our institutions, and our future.