Episode 2: Richard Rothstein, The Color of Law

Send us Fan MailProf. Sachs speaks with historian Richard Rothstein about his groundbreaking history of the modern American metropolis, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, in which Rothstein explodes the myth that America’s cities came to be racially divided through individual prejudices, income differences, or the actions of private institutions. Rather, he makes clear that it was the laws and policy decisions of local, state, and federal governments that actually promoted the discriminatory patterns that continue to affect Black Americans to this day.The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.Footnotes:Richard Rothstein. (2020, Jan. 20). The Neighborhoods We Will Not Share. The New York Times. Richard Rothstein. (2020, Aug. 14). The Black Lives Next Door. The New York Times.  Richard Rothstein. (2004), Modern Segregation.Federal Housing Administration (FHA)Levittown, NYFifth Amendment to the US ConstitutionThirteenth Amendment to the US ConstitutionFourteenth Amendment to the US ConstitutionParents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School Dist. No. 1, 551 U.S. 701 (2007)Braden v. United States :: 365 U.S. 431 (1961)Princeton’s decision to remove Woodrow Wilson’s name from its school of public policy  and residential collegeThe Warren Court (1953 – 1969)American ApartheidBlack Lives MatterThe First Step Towards Reparations in Evanston, Illinois. The Takeaway. ⭐️ Thanks for listening to Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs!📚 Join the conversation and go deeper into the ideas shaping our world.➡️ Watch the conversation on YouTube ➡️ Subscribe to the newsletter for episode updates, readings, and behind-the-scenes insights: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Explore past episodes, show notes, and featured books: https://bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org🎧 Download and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.📣 Love the show? Leave a rating and review - it helps more listeners find the podcast.🔁 Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or book club who’d enjoy the discussion!