Segregation is the separation of people into two groups based on certain characteristics. The separation can occur in many places, including work, residential, and social functions. It commonly connotes the separation of black and white people. In the 1960's, for example, black people were not allowed to use the same bathrooms, eat at the same restaurants, or even drink from the same drinking fountains as white people. It wasn't until the civil rights movement that African-Americans gained the equality (legally) that they deserved. Though desegregation has drastically improved in the United States, there are still some problems we face.
In the article “Racial Segregation, the Concentration of Disadvantage, and Black and White Homicide Victimization,” Ruth D. Peterson and Lauren J. Krivo discuss the effects of residential segregation on homicide rates between black and white neighborhoods. Peterson and Krivo conclude, “Residential segregation increases the concentration of disadvantage for blacks but not whites, creating African-American residential environments that heighten social problems including violence within the black population.” When segregated, black residential areas have increased violence and homicide rates. This is exacerbated, moreover, because of the “discriminatory housing market practices,” which are common today. These practices usually involve minorities receiving “less information and less favorable treatment than comparable white customers.”
Though it has improved, it is clear that segregation is still an issue for us today. So, what can we do to solve this problem? Also, why do “discriminatory housing market practices” still exist?
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