Question 1

Much of the economic advantage and prosperity of whites in earlier centuries came directly or indirectly from the labor of enslaved Africans and African Americans, or from the country's economic development spurred by profits from slave farms, slave plantations, and the slave trade.

Accepted Answer

The economic prosperity of many white communities, particularly in the United States and other parts of the Americas, was significantly bolstered by the labor of enslaved Africans and African Americans. The profits generated from slave labor on plantations and through the slave trade were integral to the economic development of these regions, contributing to the wealth and industrial advancement that benefited predominantly white populations.

Question 2

The scholar Thomas Craemer has calculated the hours worked by enslaved black men, women, and children from 1776 (the Declaration of Independence) to 1865 (the official end to slavery). He estimated that the cost of reparations for this largely uncompensated labor would be in the range of $500 million to $1 billion.

Accepted Answer

Thomas Craemer's calculations for the cost of reparations for the labor of enslaved black men, women, and children from 1776 to 1865 actually estimate the value to be much higher, in the range of $5.9 trillion to $14.2 trillion, not $500 million to $1 billion.

Question 3

The scholar Thomas Craemer calculated a second compensation estimate for the hours worked by enslaved black men, women, and children from 1776 (the Declaration of Independence) to 1865 (the official end to slavery) for all 24 hours of the day to be $500,000 billion in current dollars.

Accepted Answer

Thomas Craemer's calculations for the labor performed by enslaved people from 1776 to 1865, considering a 24-hour workday, estimated the compensation at approximately $14 trillion in current dollars, not $500,000 billion.

Question 4

Inequality in agricultural land was a major cause of persisting racial inequalities after the Civil War.

Accepted Answer

After the Civil War, the failure to redistribute land to formerly enslaved people and the implementation of sharecropping and tenant farming systems perpetuated economic disparities and racial inequalities, as African Americans and poor whites often remained economically dependent on wealthy landowners.

Question 5

Social science research has shown that the current white-black differential in wealth is the result of differences in savings rates.

Accepted Answer

Social science research indicates that the current white-black wealth differential is largely due to historical inequalities, systemic racism, and discriminatory policies (such as redlining and unequal access to education and job opportunities) rather than differences in savings rates alone.

Question 6

Social science research has shown that the current white-black differential exists because black individuals typically inherit much less than whites.

Accepted Answer

Social science research indicates that wealth disparities, including inheritances, contribute significantly to the current white-black economic differential, with black individuals typically inheriting less wealth than their white counterparts. This inheritance gap is a key factor in perpetuating racial wealth disparities.

Question 7

At some level, most whites seem aware that being black in America involves major personal, family, and economic costs.

Accepted Answer

Many studies and social observations have shown that systemic racism and discrimination lead to significant disparities in economic, social, and health outcomes for Black Americans compared to their white counterparts. This awareness is increasingly recognized in societal discussions and educational efforts about racial inequality and privilege.

Question 8

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur reviewed the U.S. government's compliance with international human rights law, he underscored the striking disparity between the way that the bottom fifth of the population lives as compared with the more affluent part of the country.

Accepted Answer

The United Nations often conducts reviews on member states' compliance with international human rights standards, and disparities in living conditions between different socioeconomic groups within countries, including the United States, are a common area of concern highlighted in such reports. These disparities can reflect issues related to economic, social, and cultural rights, which are integral to international human rights law.

Question 9

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur condemned American leaders for enduring U.S. poverty, especially that faced by Americans of color.

Accepted Answer

A United Nations special rapporteur indeed condemned American leaders for the enduring poverty in the U.S., particularly highlighting the disproportionate impact on Americans of color, as part of broader critiques on human rights and social inequality.

Question 10

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur condemned American leaders for ongoing political disenfranchisement, especially that faced by Americans of color.

Accepted Answer

The United Nations has indeed had special rapporteurs who have criticized various aspects of American society, including issues related to political disenfranchisement and racial inequality. These critiques often focus on systemic issues that affect minority groups disproportionately.

Question 11

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur visiting the U.S. noted the prevalence of caricatured, racist narratives about the poor, particularly the notion that welfare recipients are scammers.

Accepted Answer

The United Nations has indeed had special rapporteurs who have reported on issues related to poverty and human rights in various countries, including the U.S., and have noted concerns about stereotypes and negative narratives surrounding poverty and welfare recipients.

Question 12

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur visiting the U.S. noted that while funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to audit wealthy taxpayers has been reduced, efforts to identify welfare fraud are greatly intensified.

Accepted Answer

The United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, during a visit to the U.S., highlighted the contrast between the decreased funding for the IRS to audit wealthy taxpayers and the increased efforts to identify welfare fraud, pointing out the disparity in how financial scrutiny is applied to different segments of the population.

Question 13

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur visiting the U.S. noted that the undermining of democracy, assisted by overt disenfranchisement of felons, gerrymandering, and the imposition of unnecessary voter ID requirements, results in the deprivation of the poor, minorities, and other disfavored groups of their voting rights.

Accepted Answer

The United Nations has indeed raised concerns about practices in the U.S. that potentially undermine democracy, including the disenfranchisement of felons, gerrymandering, and strict voter ID laws, which disproportionately affect poor, minority, and marginalized groups, impacting their ability to participate fully in the democratic process.

Question 14

Recently, a United Nations special rapporteur, a human-rights researcher and legal scholar, conducted an information gathering mission to California, Georgia, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. He noted that in a country as prosperous as the U.S. the persistence of extreme poverty is a political choice made by those in power.

Accepted Answer

The statement reflects observations often made by UN special rapporteurs who assess human rights situations worldwide, including issues like poverty, which can indeed be influenced by political decisions in a country as wealthy as the U.S.

Question 15

Reflecting on earlier centuries, legal scholar Patricia Williams concluded that black enslavement included even the lost of the power to procreate in the image of oneself and not that of an alien master.

Accepted Answer

Patricia Williams, in her discussions on the legal and social implications of black enslavement, highlighted how the enslaved were deprived of various forms of autonomy, including the fundamental power to procreate freely. This deprivation meant that their offspring could be claimed by or reflect the interests of the slave owner, rather than the enslaved individuals' own lineage or identity.

Question 16

Whites have infrequently converted certain black culture into a commodity.

Accepted Answer

Whites have frequently appropriated elements of black culture, turning them into commodities for mainstream consumption, often without proper acknowledgment or compensation to the original creators.

Question 17

Rarely have blacks been permitted to excel in entertainment.

Accepted Answer

Throughout history, many black individuals have excelled in various fields of entertainment, including music, acting, and sports, despite facing significant challenges and barriers.

Question 18

Blacks in decisionmaking positions, such as heads of powerful media corporations, generally control the way in which much black music and other entertainment elements move into the white-dominated culture.

Accepted Answer

While there are Black individuals in decision-making positions within the entertainment industry, the industry as a whole is still largely dominated by non-Black executives and decision-makers, which limits the control Black individuals have over how their culture is represented and commercialized.

Question 19

African Americans average significantly shorter lives than white Americans, which has been true for centuries.

Accepted Answer

Historically, African Americans have had lower life expectancies than white Americans due to a combination of factors including socioeconomic disparities, access to healthcare, and systemic racism affecting overall health outcomes.

Question 20

According to surveys, a majority of whites do not have much empathy for the suffering of black Americans and others who face contemporary racial discrimination.

Accepted Answer

Surveys and studies have shown that there is a significant empathy gap between white Americans and black Americans, with many white Americans underestimating or not fully recognizing the extent of racial discrimination and the suffering it causes to black Americans and other minorities. This empathy gap contributes to differing perceptions on the state of racial equality and the need for policies addressing racial discrimination.

Quiz 7: White Privileges and Black Burdens: Still Systemic Racism