Which phrase describes racism that is built into laws and policies?

• A. Systemic Racism
• B. Personal Prejudice
• C. Cultural Racism
• D. Racist Discrimination

Answer: (A)

Systemic racism is racism that is built into the laws, policies, and practices of institutions, shaping how society operates and what outcomes different racial groups experience. It isn’t just about what individuals think or say; it shows up in the way rules are written, enforced, funded, and administered—so the effects accumulate across sectors like housing, education, healthcare, and criminal justice. For example, policies that influence lending, school funding tied to local taxes, or policing practices can create and maintain unequal opportunities and results for different racial groups even when people don’t intend harm.

This idea stands apart from personal prejudice, which are individual beliefs; cultural racism, which involves cultural norms that devalue certain groups; and racist discrimination, which is unfair treatment that can be at the individual level or systemic. The phrase that best captures racism embedded in laws and policies is systemic racism, because it centers the structural design of systems and how they produce unequal outcomes over time.