Historically, racial segregation has had profound implications for Black communities in America, affecting quality of life and prospects. According to a new study published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journal Circulation, the damage of this institutionalized racism extends beyond socioeconomic disparities, directly affecting the health of Black Americans who live in formerly redlined neighborhoods.
Redlining was a discriminatory practice, originating in the 1930s, where U.S. banks refused loans, insurance, and other critical services to neighborhoods predominantly inhabited by Black people. This systemic rejection of financial assistance severely hampered the ability of these communities to grow and prosper, hindering their socioeconomic progress. Despite the practice being outlawed in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement, the recent study in the American Heart Association’s scientific journal Circulation demonstrates that the impact of these historical practices persists today.
The study, which reviewed over 2 million cases, including 801,452 Black Americans, found that Black adults living in zip codes previously redlined by U.S. banks are 8% more likely to develop heart failure than those living in non-redlined areas. This discovery ties systemic racism and financial disenfranchisement directly to serious health concerns among Black populations.
In contrast, the study also found that white beneficiaries living in historically redlined neighborhoods faced a lower risk of heart failure after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities.
As unsettling as these findings are, they further highlight the ongoing impact of systemic racism in the United States. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city steeped in a painful history of racial violence and economic sabotage against its Black residents, Mayor G.T. Bynum recently lauded a court decision to dismiss a lawsuit related to the 1921 Race Massacre.
The data from his city speaks volumes. Residents of historically Black North Tulsa live almost three times shorter after retirement than residents of South Tulsa. This stark disparity can be traced back to several historic events: a city-sanctioned white supremacist massacre in 1921, redlining in the 1930s, and urban renewal efforts in the 1950s and 60s that decimated Greenwood, a thriving Black community once known as Black Wall Street.
Detroit, another city heavily impacted by redlining, exemplifies the devastating effects of this practice on the Black community. In a city once seen as the epitome of the American Dream, the Black community has suffered from poor housing, underfunded schools, limited economic opportunities, and heightened health risks – all the cascading effects of redlining. Despite the resilience of these communities, these systemic issues continue to undermine their potential and fuel disparities.
The study’s authors noted that “the strongest relationship between redlining and HF [was] observed in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.” This highlights the intersection of racial and economic factors, shedding light on how systemic practices continue to shape health outcomes.
For proponents of reparations, this study is yet another piece of evidence pointing towards the lasting damage inflicted on Black communities by practices such as redlining. The ongoing impact of these historical injustices on the health and well-being of Black Americans underlines the urgent need for systemic reform, calling into question the morality of a society that fails to address these deeply rooted disparities.