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How did we get here? A history of health inequities in the United States (part 6 of 6)

The root cause of health inequity in the United States is structural racism. Stark inequities in morbidity and mortality among minoritized populations have persisted for generations. This series will contextualize the historical and systemic nature of racism in America and how systemic racism impacts our health. As a concept that first emerged with European colonial expansion in the 16th century, race is woven into the fabric of American consciousness. It is insufficient and harmful to view racism as an isolated event; doing so invalidates the experiences of those afflicted by racism while perpetuating the structures and systems that uphold racism.
We are reimagining our conversations on racism and embarking on a journey—beginning with the moment of our country's inception through the country's current state. The first stop on our journey will unpack the direct link from Slavery to Mass Incarceration, highlighting the structural forces of racism—including the intersection among various demarginalized groups and the concept of Race Throughout the Americas. Our journey will then showcase the concepts behind the immoral and pseudoscientific theory of the Eugenics Movement, Genetic Determinism and Understanding the American Desire to Attribute Health Inequities to Genetics, along with the impact of Discrimination, Stress, and Allostatic Load and Understanding the Health Impacts of the Lived Experience of Racism to thriving while Black—A History of Black Businesses and a Life as an African American student at the University of Kansas. Our journey will unpack historical events through the current state to understand the history of health inequities.