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

Highly educational evidence backed book for segregation practices. The history will challenge you, surprise you, and make you uncomfortable, but it’s valuable to learn if you care about making a difference in the future.

This book reminded me of Race for Profit. Sometimes I have a hard time starting books of this kind, but I know that it's my responsibility to do so. Once I started it, I couldn't stop. I listened in between work calls, doing the dishes, gathering eggs from my chickens, even taking a shower. The approach that it takes is a breakdown of the covert, and more often blatant, local, state and federal support for segregation. Zoning laws specifically changed to force out new Black home owners trying to move into a neighborhood that's closer to their workplace. Changing school locations to force Black people to move to the worst parts of town, sell them deteriorating houses at inflated prices, under impossible loans that did not allow them to built any equity during their mortgage period. (Enter the white privilege of generational wealth due to easy homeownership.) The physical violence, threats, and verbal abuse that Black children, women, and men had to suffer if they dared to try to move to cleaner, nicer neighborhoods. Everything is once again presented in an easy to understand, digestible format that will leave you with a better understanding of modern US history than any textbooks. And yes, it even talks about that! I'll end by saying I 10/10 recommend this book, and leave you with this quote: "For two months law enforcement stood by as rocks were thrown, crosses were burned, the Klu Klux Klan symbol was painted on the wall of the clubhouse next door, and the home of a family that had supported the Myers's was vandalized. Some policeman, assigned to protect the African American family, stood with the mob, joking and encouraging its participants. One sergeant was demoted to patrolman, because he objected with orders he had received not to interfere with the rioters. During much of the 20th century police tolerance and PROMOTION of cross burnings, vandalism, arson, and other violent acts to maintain residential segregation was systematic and nationwide."

I absolutely enjoyed this book, because I did wonder for a long time how zoning in America worked. Why did it seem like the "nice" side of town was usually the north and the southside was reserved for POC? This book is the book you want to read if you're trying to discuss how the legacy of racism continues today and has broad implications.