As in France, the United States have an ideology defending equality between citizens. And then, there is reality : in Chicago, a white person has only two percent chance to have a black neighbor.

The surprising part is that there was more urban diversity in the city in 1900 than in 2019. Systemic racism dictated real estate, institutions and public policy throughout the 20th century. For example, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) created after the depression of the 1930’s, overwhelmingly benefited white families. They could move to more comfortable suburbs, while African Americans were restricted to overpopulated and under-resourced areas.

The government tried to improve the situation during the second part of the 20th century, and two laws were voted : one against the racial discrimination in the real estate market (1968), another one for equality for the credit opportunity (1974). Unfortunately, this is difficult to control the application of those laws. Despite the interdiction, agents and bankers change housing offers, credit offers and rate proposals according to the color of their client. In addition, if federal government consider a neighborhood as dangerous, the area is lined on the city map (redlining) and its residents have no chance to get a home loan. There is a speculative racism: the presence of blacks people in a rich neighborhood could bring down the price of the market. Therefore, their mobility is limited, even if their incomes improve.

In 2013 alone, Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed 50 public schools, the largest mass school closure in the country’s modern history. Under-resourced neighborhoods of Chicago have common problems with the suburbs in France; the inhabitants are deprived of good schools and experience higher rates of violence. This situation maintains poverty, even if the communities fight to evolve and rise. Segregation is a real cost for the economy, which loose the benefit of a part of its citizens by constraining their development. Let’s hope that Lori Lightfoot, the new mayor of the city, will help for progressivism.

Learn more about the racial segregation processes