olve　challenges　like　health　care；　or　education；　or　the　need　to　find　good　jobs　for　every　American。

Understanding　this　reality　requires　a　reminder　of　how　we　arrived　at　this　point。　As　William　Faulkner　once　wrote；　〃The　past　isn't　dead　and　buried。　In　fact；　it　isn't　even　past。〃　We　do　not　need　to　recite　here　the　history　of　racial　injustice　in　this　country。　But　we　do　need　to　remind　ourselves　that　so　many　of　the　disparities　that　exist　in　the　African…American　munity　today　can　be　directly　traced　to　inequalities　passed　on　from　an　earlier　generation　that　suffered　under　the　brutal　legacy　of　slavery　and　Jim　Crow。

Segregated　schools　were；　and　are；　inferior　schools；　we　still　haven't　fixed　them；　fifty　years　after　Brown　v。　Board　of　Education；　and　the　inferior　education　they　provided；　then　and　now；　helps　explain　the　pervasive　achievement　gap　between　today's　black　and　white　students。

Legalized　discrimination　…　where　blacks　were　prevented；　often　through　violence；　from　owning　property；　or　loans　were　not　granted　to　African…American　business　owners；　or　black　homeowners　could　not　access　FHA　mortgages；　or　blacks　were　excluded　from　unions；　or　the　police　force；　or　fire　departments　…　meant　that　black　families　could　not　amass　any　meaningful　wealth　to　bequeath　to　future　generations。　That　history　helps　explain　the　wealth　and　ine　gap　between　black　and　white；　and　the　concentrated　pockets　of　poverty　that　persists　in　so　many　of　today's　urban　and　rural　munities。

A　lack　of　economic　oppo