The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

Why I recommend it

Rothstein traces the government decisions that helped create residential segregation in America. The specificity matters: policies and institutions shaped where people could live and what they could pass on to their children.

What stayed with me

The history of a neighborhood includes decisions that may no longer be visible. Their consequences can remain long after the rules change.

Who it’s useful for

Readers interested in American history, housing, and how inequality becomes built into everyday life.

A tension or limitation

The focus on government policy is valuable, but it’s one part of the story. Private discrimination and residents’ own accounts belong alongside it.