SYSTEMIC RACISM - FROM THE 3/5 COMPROMISE TO GERRYMANDERING

Standing Against Gerrymandering and Redlining Injustice

The story of America’s legal system is not just one of progress and justice, it is also a story of deliberate exclusion, exploitation, and the manipulation of law and policy to benefit some at the expense of others. To understand why systemic inequality persists, we must trace the roots, from the 3/5 Compromise in the Constitution to modern-day practices like redlining and the recent controversial redistricting fight led by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.

The 3/5 Compromise: America’s Original Dehumanization Embedded in Law

In 1787, the United States Constitution codified the 3/5 Compromise, counting enslaved Black people as just three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation. This horrific bargain served two purposes:

1. To inflate the political power of slaveholding states without granting any rights to the enslaved, and

2. To explicitly dehumanize Black Americans, legally defining them as less than whole persons.

   
   

This foundational compromise was not an accident; it was the blueprint for centuries of systemic racism embedded in the very fabric of American governance. It established a precedent for creating laws that would benefit one group’s political and economic power while systematically suppressing others.

Redlining: The Modern Map of Segregation and Exclusion

Fast forward nearly two centuries, and the legacy of the 3/5 Compromise is visible in the maps drawn by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s — better known today as redlining maps. These maps classified neighborhoods with Black residents as “hazardous,” denying them access to mortgages, loans, and basic investments.

The consequences were devastating:

1. Black families were blocked from homeownership which is a key driver of wealth and political power in America.

2. Generations were confined to underfunded neighborhoods with fewer schools, fewer jobs, and limited access to healthcare.

3. The economic suppression of Black communities entrenched poverty and disenfranchisement.

   
   

Even after the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed redlining, the effects remain. Neighborhoods once marked in red on those HOLC maps still suffer from disinvestment, under-resourced schools, and lack of political representation.

The New Face of Old Tactics

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett faced a shocking consequence of the redistricting process in her Dallas district. The new map literally redrew the district lines to exclude her own home, leaving her outside the very community she was elected to represent. This move is not just a political slight; it’s a deliberate tactic that sends a clear message: undermine Black political power by fracturing communities and displacing their leaders.

By pushing Crockett out of her district, map drawers weakened her connection to constituents, complicated her reelection efforts, and diluted the influence of the Black and minority voters she champions. This blatant gerrymandering echoes a long history of using legal tools to silence Black voices and obstruct their representation. Critics argue that the map was designed to dilute the voting power of Black and minority communities, splitting cohesive neighborhoods into multiple districts and effectively silencing their voices.

Despite this change, Crockett continued to serve as the representative for the 30th District. She was re-elected in 2024, indicating that voters in the district still supported her candidacy. However, the redistricting raised concerns about the intentional manipulation of district boundaries to dilute the political power of minority communities and disrupt effective representation.

This is a modern-day echo of the 3/5 Compromise and redlining:

1. Legal tools like redistricting maps are used to manipulate political power, not serve community interests.

2. By gerrymandering, the law is weaponized to undermine fair representation and entrench racial and economic disparities.

3. These maps fracture communities, making it harder to advocate for resources, education, and safety.

Intentional Misuse of Law: Not an Accident, But a Strategy

The common thread is clear: from the 3/5 Compromise, through redlining, to the newest redistricting battles, laws and policies have been intentionally designed and enforced to:

1. Concentrate wealth and political power in the hands of a few,

2. Systematically exclude Black communities from access to housing, education, and political influence, and

3. Mask oppression behind the veneer of legality and neutrality.

A flaw of the system working as it was designed by the prejudice people who created it.

Why This Matters Today

Understanding these connections is essential. When we see maps drawn to divide our neighborhoods, or policies that appear “neutral” but perpetuate inequality, we must recognize them as the legacy of centuries-old strategies to exclude us.

Our response must be equally strategic:

1. Advocate for independent redistricting commissions to ensure fair maps.

2. Push for comprehensive reparations including homeownership programs to counteract redlining’s legacy.

3. Demand constitutional reforms that finally reckon with the enduring impact of compromises like the 3/5 clause.

4. Support leaders like Jasmine Crockett who fight for equity, transparency, and true representation.