African Americans and Housing Discrimination

Having read The Color of Law, you are now becoming an expert on housing discrimination in the United States.  You have been appointed to a commission on housing and must determine whether the federal government is responsible for finding a solution or remedy for the lasting effects of housing discrimination against African Americans. 

Rothstein makes a powerful case in arguing that it is our government’s responsibility, so if you want to take the easier route, one needs to just choose what you feel are his strongest reasons and paraphrase them in your own words.  If you want to argue the government should not attempt to find a remedy or solution, you should look at some of the arguments and his answers in the frequently asked questions section.  Regardless of your position, you should address issues like restrictive covenants, exclusionary zoning laws, blockbusting, redlining, and some of the key Supreme Court decisions and the Civil War amendments. 

Keep in mind that the focus of the is on why or why not offer a remedy.  You can discuss specific solutions in the conclusion.  You are certainly welcome to bring in some of the solutions that Rothstein proposes in the chapter “Considering Fixes” or you can come up with your own remedy.   must be four pages.