In real estate sales and rental, in mortgage lending, in the application of the death penalty, and now in the treatment of motorists, (“Driving While Black: A Statistician Proves That Prejudice Still Rules the Roost”, Outlook, August 16, 1998) statistical research consistently shows differential and unfair treatment of African-Americans.

Yes, it is great that our society ended Jim Crow segregation back in the 1960s. Yes, there are certain highly visible phenomena in today’s society, like basketball millionaires from the projects, that could not have existed a few decades ago. But no, we have not seen a sudden end to the ugly story that began in Jamestown in 1619 and precipitated our bloodiest war along the way.

The institution of racism clearly persists, and has an enormous daily impact on every one of the Washington Post’s readers. This certainly includes those who more or less unwittingly benefit from it, as well as those whose opportunities, wealth and life spans are curtailed by it. I look forward to the day when a page of your paper a few times a week and the efforts of two or three of your reporters -- the kind of attention you assign to the fashion industry or professional baseball - are focussed on this powerful and pervasive American institution that we work so hard not to examine.

Sincerely,

Larry Yates