3 chapters across the catalog
Mo Facts plays clips of Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law, explaining how the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Public Works Administration intentionally created segregation. Rothstein describes how the government demolished integrated neighborhoods to build race-specific public housing. This policy concentrated Black families in urban centers while subsidizing white flight to the suburbs, creating the modern metropolitan landscape.
A segment from "Adam Ruins Everything" explains how the creation of the American suburbs was a result of racist federal policies. During the New Deal, the FHA created color-coded maps where green areas were deemed safe for loans and red areas (minority neighborhoods) were denied. This institutionalized redlining ensured that 98% of home loans between 1934 and 1968 went to white families, effectively subsidizing white wealth while excluding Black families.
Michael Bloomberg is characterized as the "OG" of institutional racism due to his deep ties to Wall Street and his defense of redlining. The hosts argue that while Trump's rhetoric is often criticized, Bloomberg's policies were sanctioned by the government and financial institutions to manage "risk" at the expense of minority communities. They conclude that the combination of redlining and stop and frisk created a comprehensive system of containment and control.
