INTRODUCTION
Ever walked into a neighborhood and pondered why there's majority of a particular race living in that community?Take a look at Suitland, Maryland.
The neighborhoods within Suitland are predominately black. Most neighborhoods are in poverty and have a low income rate. Housing is barely affordable pushing residents to stretch their paycheck to make ends meet. Now, get on Suitland Parkway and continue on it. Then take Georgetown memorial Parkway and I-495 North to Maryland -190 in Bethesda. Take exit 39 from I-495. Follow Maryland- 190 and you are at your destination, Potomac Maryland.
In Potomac, you'll find predominately white neighborhoods with high incomes. There's a huge gap in the income rates between predominately African American communities and predominately white neighborhoods. But let me remind you that earlier, in the past, there were regulations put in to place to deny loans and insurance to African Americans. The National Housing Act of 1939, that later on set up the Federal Housing Act, used a practice called redlining, a discriminatory practice in which insurance companies, banks, and other financial institution refuse to give blacks, within inner-city neighborhoods, loans mortgages, and insurance. Denying such privileges took away the opportunity for African Americans to own houses or move in to a nice and safe neighborhood. It wasn't until 1968 that the Federal Housing Act was amended, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, financing, or rental of homes based on race, sex, national origin or disability. Other acts were established to create a system of inequality. The Wagner Act of 1935 which prohibited blacks from joining labor unions and securing the right to collective bargaining. The Social Security Act of 1935 that excluded agriculture and domestic workers, whom were mostly black, from receiving coverage and or governmental assistance. White Southerns didn't want African Americans to agrarian system. Establishing such regulations towards another race and therefore creating an oppress neighborhood is a part of Institutional Racism.
What is Institutional Racism?
Well, racism is an unintentional or intentional action based on skin color or race that lowers and or subordinates a group or individual based on their race or skin color. And an institution is a society or organization founded for an education, social, or similar purpose. It can operate and or behave in ways that are racist such as excluding blacks from services or constitutionally racist such as creating policies that excludes black. Thus, institutions can respond to black differently than responding to whites. Vernellia R. Randall, a scholar, legal educator, speaker, and commentator on race and racism, defined Institutional Racism, first coined by Stokely Carmichael, as policies, procedures, and practices of institutions that have a disproportionately negative effect on racial minorities' access to quality of goods, services, and opportunities.
Others, such as Malcom X , define institutional racism in similar ways which will be discuss in the next section. Institutional Racism started long ago during the antebellum period where African American were forced into slavery and had to abide by laws that prevent them from being a part of the social, economic, and political systems. Thus, slavery created and left an imprint of Institutional Racism. Minorities, in particular blacks, are put in adverse conditions and or given negative treatments based on their race. For example, we see how blacks are treated poorly and or different within the Educational system and government system (police officials).
All, in all, Institutional Racism is visible and exist in the New Millennium through the economic, political, and social systems because particular races and in this situation, blacks are limited from obtaining equality and better opportunities sufficient for themselves.
In the next three sections, we will discuss Malcolm X views on institutional racism and how it's seen in the New Millennium, how slavery left an imprint on race relations (Institutional Racism), and how Institutional Racism is seen today through the educational system.
The neighborhoods within Suitland are predominately black. Most neighborhoods are in poverty and have a low income rate. Housing is barely affordable pushing residents to stretch their paycheck to make ends meet. Now, get on Suitland Parkway and continue on it. Then take Georgetown memorial Parkway and I-495 North to Maryland -190 in Bethesda. Take exit 39 from I-495. Follow Maryland- 190 and you are at your destination, Potomac Maryland.
In Potomac, you'll find predominately white neighborhoods with high incomes. There's a huge gap in the income rates between predominately African American communities and predominately white neighborhoods. But let me remind you that earlier, in the past, there were regulations put in to place to deny loans and insurance to African Americans. The National Housing Act of 1939, that later on set up the Federal Housing Act, used a practice called redlining, a discriminatory practice in which insurance companies, banks, and other financial institution refuse to give blacks, within inner-city neighborhoods, loans mortgages, and insurance. Denying such privileges took away the opportunity for African Americans to own houses or move in to a nice and safe neighborhood. It wasn't until 1968 that the Federal Housing Act was amended, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, financing, or rental of homes based on race, sex, national origin or disability. Other acts were established to create a system of inequality. The Wagner Act of 1935 which prohibited blacks from joining labor unions and securing the right to collective bargaining. The Social Security Act of 1935 that excluded agriculture and domestic workers, whom were mostly black, from receiving coverage and or governmental assistance. White Southerns didn't want African Americans to agrarian system. Establishing such regulations towards another race and therefore creating an oppress neighborhood is a part of Institutional Racism.
What is Institutional Racism?
Well, racism is an unintentional or intentional action based on skin color or race that lowers and or subordinates a group or individual based on their race or skin color. And an institution is a society or organization founded for an education, social, or similar purpose. It can operate and or behave in ways that are racist such as excluding blacks from services or constitutionally racist such as creating policies that excludes black. Thus, institutions can respond to black differently than responding to whites. Vernellia R. Randall, a scholar, legal educator, speaker, and commentator on race and racism, defined Institutional Racism, first coined by Stokely Carmichael, as policies, procedures, and practices of institutions that have a disproportionately negative effect on racial minorities' access to quality of goods, services, and opportunities.
Others, such as Malcom X , define institutional racism in similar ways which will be discuss in the next section. Institutional Racism started long ago during the antebellum period where African American were forced into slavery and had to abide by laws that prevent them from being a part of the social, economic, and political systems. Thus, slavery created and left an imprint of Institutional Racism. Minorities, in particular blacks, are put in adverse conditions and or given negative treatments based on their race. For example, we see how blacks are treated poorly and or different within the Educational system and government system (police officials).
All, in all, Institutional Racism is visible and exist in the New Millennium through the economic, political, and social systems because particular races and in this situation, blacks are limited from obtaining equality and better opportunities sufficient for themselves.
In the next three sections, we will discuss Malcolm X views on institutional racism and how it's seen in the New Millennium, how slavery left an imprint on race relations (Institutional Racism), and how Institutional Racism is seen today through the educational system.