Historical events play a huge role in shaping how different races interact today. These past happenings create patterns that still affect how people live and work together.

1. Colonialism and Slavery:

   • A long time ago, about 12.5 million Africans were taken from their homes and shipped to the Americas. Out of these, around 10.7 million survived the journey. This horrible history of mistreatment led to lasting racism and unequal wealth, especially in places like the United States. Right now, the average income for African American families is $45,870, while white families earn about$88,201 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021).

2. Jim Crow Laws and Segregation:

   • In the late 1800s, laws known as Jim Crow laws were put in place to keep races separate and to limit rights for Black people. Even though there have been important changes, like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the effects of those laws are still felt today. For example, Black Americans are three times more likely to go to jail compared to white Americans (NAACP, 2021).

3. Immigration Policies:

   • Old immigration laws, like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Immigration Act of 1924, created unfair advantages for some races over others. Now, we can see the effects in the gap between racial wealth. The average wealth of white families is $188,200, while Black families have$24,100, and Hispanic families have $36,200 (Federal Reserve, 2019).

4. Modern Effects:

   • These past injustices still affect society today. Right now, nearly 1 in 4 Black children live in poverty, while only 1 in 10 white children do (Children's Defense Fund, 2021).

In short, the way history has impacted race relations shows why we need to keep examining and working on these issues to achieve fairness and justice for everyone.