Systemic Racism 101: A Visual History of the Impact of Racism in America

by Living Cities, Aminah Pilgrim

Discover how—and why—Black, Indigenous, and people of color in America experience societal, economic, and infrastructural inequality throughout history covering everything from Columbus’s arrival in 1492 to the War on Drugs to the Black Lives Matter movement.From reparations to the prison industrial complex and redlining, there are a lot of high-level concepts to systemic racism that are hard to digest. At a time where everyone is inundated with information on structural racism, it can be hard to know where to start or how to visualize the disenfranchisement of BIPOC Americans. In Systemic Racism 101, you will find infographic spreads alongside explanatory text to help you visualize and truly understand societal, economic, and structural racism—along with what we can do to change it. Starting from the discovery of America in 1492, through the Civil Rights movement, all the way to the criminal justice reform today, this book has everything you need to know about the continued fight for equality.

Genres: Social Justice, Race, Nonfiction, Sociology, History and Politics

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 2022

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been one of my favorite books about racism and how it's interwoven with the US laws, government, founding, and continues to this day. And to top it off, it's low level difficulty to read with charts and infographs! Making this the perfect book for those who don't use traditional public or private schools to educate in middle-high school age kids.
I also like how it went chronically with more intention than I noticed in other versions I've read (The New Jim Crow, Color of Law, etc). This is the low level introduction that everyone needs to read to even begin to understand the Black experience and existence in the US. It stresses how the systemic part is crucial to understanding what we commonly just referred to as "racism."
Racist people and a racist system are different, and I like how this book communicates this fact very clearly.
I know that there have been discriminations against me that I've experienced, and my family. But to try to imagine that on an even bigger scale... This book helped me to do that!
I will 100% be adding the book to my physical library.
10/10 recommend

[chisholm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The information is solid and well researched. The infographics and data provided can be helpful for projects, arguments, or building awareness. This book should go right into the hands of a socially aware or culturally responsive middle schooler/freshman. It would be very helpful for youth's social conscious development.
a must read for all those who have no idea. have real questions. a 101 for all that don't know and are unaware. no need to ask your black friend this book is your one stop shop for you. all actual.
children should be educated by this book there I said it but college classes as the 101 is suggesting.
about racism and how it's interwoven with the US laws, government, founding, and continues to this day. And to top it off, it's elementary level reading difficulty to read with charts and pictures! Making this the perfect book for those who have trouble reading. so, all can understand. and its a library book that's right anyone can have it for a 30 day read

[Samantha Musick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A decent historical look at the history of racism in this country. I skimmed through a good chunk of it, since most of this is covered in general US History classes in high school and college.

GREAT infographics to help break down some of the tougher concepts and visually highly appealing. The more eye opening things for me that I didn’t know or was less familiar with as an adult were some of the hard stats on wealth disparity in the US. And how the War on Drugs was clearly a front for disrupting the anti-war and black rights movements of the 70s and 80s. There was also a highly informative section on COVID 19 and Obama, Trump, and Biden admins on BIPOC people, which won’t be in the schoolbooks for a while I imagine.

The SAT founder was brand new info for me. Yikes. Definitely will keep in my shelf. Wish it hadn’t been withdrawn from the local library. Found at local library book sale.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I must say this book isn't really for me. I found it extremely simplistic for where I am in my life, but I can really put much fault in the book. It is a "101" book, which is college code for entry level. The information is solid and well researched, but rudimentary since it is the foundation for the scaffolding of social awareness. The infographics and data provided can be helpful for projects, arguments, or building awareness. This book should go right into the hands of a socially aware or culturally responsive middle schooler/freshman. It would be very helpful for youth's social conscious development.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super informational! It read kind of like a school textbook, but in the best way possible? I loved that I could not only read about this myself, but share parts of it with my kids to also educate them in a manner that they can understand. This is a great surface-level dive into the history of racism, and I'm very glad to have read it.

[Chelsea Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned so much in this book! I enjoyed reading it.

[Ashley Meacham · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0⭐️

[Kristin Zick]

Didn't actually finish

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an amazing job of identifying the roots of discrimination, beginning at the time of Americas "discovery" and thoroughly explains how it adversely affects us til this day.

[Mark K. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening

[Gabriella Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic infographics that help us truly begin to understand the impact of racism.

[Ratty Datty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for everyone.

[Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent reference for anyone truly concerned with or interested in racism: at the individual or systemic levels.