A (very brief) History of Systemic Racism: A Glimpse into Oppression, Inequity, and Inequality of Black People in the United States of America

About the Book

Racism has no place in the world, and everyone knows it’s not okay. Why, then, is racism still a part of peoples’ experiences? Why are protests and demonstrations happening? Why is there even a conversation about “Black lives matter”? Racism is not a partisan issue, and this is not a political book—it’s a history book. The fact is that racism has been built into the very foundations this country was built on; from employment to housing and education to criminal justice. A (very brief) History of Systemic Racism looks at hundreds of years of institutional and structural racism, breaking it down into a concise series of events, laws, restrictions, policies, and practices that have led to where we are today. The journey toward anti-racism begins by arming yourself with information and understanding the history of oppression, inequity, and inequality of Black people in the U.S., and this book will give you a strong basal knowledge of systemic racism in this country. To continue the conversation and find resources on how to help fight racism, please visit www.thechrisvalentine.com.

About the Author

Chris Valentine—data analyst by day, artist by night—has a unique ability to take overwhelming amounts of information (literally hundreds of years of American History, in the case of this book) and breaking it down into small bits that fit nicely together to tell a complete story. Chris is certainly not an expert about racism, but he is someone who cares deeply about fighting discrimination based on peoples’ fundamental essence that they cannot choose or change. Chris is a cis-gender, white, gay man who is heartbroken, angry, and sick over the inequities perpetrated against people every day. Even though Chris cannot walk in the shoes of Black people, he is empathetic to their experience and is working hard to be an anti-racist ally. As Chris continues his anti-racist journey, he hopes to help others start or continue their journeys too. Join Chris on Instagram or Facebook at @thechrisvalentine.