Abstract
This chapter argues that modern-day discrimination against African Americans had roots in the racism that surrounded slavery in the United States. Deprivation suffered by slaves permanently stunted their physical and cognitive development. However, the generation of African Americans born after slavery had much improved cognitive abilities. The author argues that discrimination subsequent to abolition was a reaction to the arrival and maturation of this new generation, which challenged whites in the economic and social realms.
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Steckel, R.H. (2018). Slavery and Discrimination. In: Blum, M., Colvin, C. (eds) An Economist’s Guide to Economic History. Palgrave Studies in Economic History. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96568-0_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96568-0_18
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