Racial Segregation In The 1960's

Racial segregation is the “practice of separating people spatially or socially on the basis of (their) race…” (Book 205), which is defined as “a group of people who share a set of characteristics…deemed by society as being socially significant” (book207). Ironically, racial segregation continues today in the form of racial residential segregation, which is a persistent and complicated problem that was not solved through the “civil rights movement of the 1960’s” (Book 207). However, to thoroughly understand why racial residential segregation continues, the social factors that contributes to this phenomenon needs to be examined, the short and long term effects of this practice needs to be understood, and empirical data needs to be derived to
First, the primary social factor that contributes to the racial residential segregation is the fact that “it is legal and commonplace for housing markets to be segregated by income” (Book207). This fact prevents Blacks, Latinos, etc. from assimilating into white communities because, of existing economic conditions, which does not provide minorities with advanced economic opportunity. Secondly, discrimination still exists in the United States, which is demonstrated through laws that are not always followed like, disregarding the fair housing practices that prevents considering race as a denominator for renting or selling a home, and how white “residents sometimes move out of neighborhoods when increasing numbers of minority residents move in” (Book207). Consequently, minorities are “…likely to live in highly segregated communities” within the United States , which results in short term, and long term negative effects for minorities(Book
First, racial residential segregation denies minorities the opportunity for “residential choice, and compels them to live in poorer neighborhoods” (Book 208). This fact alone subjects minorities to having less access to “schools, jobs, and medical facilities…,” and the ability to purchase higher priced homes (Book208). Subsequently, minority communities “are likely to be the locations of hazardous waste facilities and other sources of pollution,” which plague the inhabitants, and harms their home values, health, and educational systems (Book208). Overall, “racial residential segregation contributes to the” economic disadvantages of the minority community (Book