Topic: Jim Crow

The discussion highlights historical instances where Black communities thrived, such as Seneca Village in New York and Black Wall Street in Tulsa, only to be destroyed by elite interests or racial violence. Dr. Hattery argues that the criminal justice system replaced Jim Crow as the primary tool for suppressing Black economic power. She notes that the Jim Crow system was economically inefficient for poor whites because it required the costly duplication of every public institution.

Flint is described as having been one of the most segregated cities in the United States, with African Americans historically restricted to only two neighborhoods. Anna Clark details the systemic barriers used to maintain this segregation, including redlining and the exclusion of Black real estate agents from professional boards. Despite passing a landmark fair housing ordinance, the city suffered from a lack of generational wealth due to discriminatory hiring practices at General Motors.