The Fire Next Time Lesson Plan

What is systemic racism and how does James Baldwin observe this in Harlem?

Systemic racism, also described as institutional racism, is how racist and discriminatory practices manifest within systems and institutions of power and can greatly impact the everyday and long-term experiences of people of color, including but not limited to housing opportunities, banking and loan options, education access, healthcare quality, and job opportunities.

Baldwin observes how crime is one of the few options that people in Harlem have as a means to earn a living as few job opportunities were readily available. Throughout this section Baldwin mentions encountering a police officer who...