How systemic racism destroyed black innovation in the U.S.: Violence and segregation undermined African American inventors throughout the 20th century - [News]

Protests in the United States and in other countries have brought new attention to the impact of state violence and systemic racism. Economist Lisa D. Cook has directly measured that impact on innovation and invention, and the results are grim. Cook's research showed how segregation laws, lynchings, and state-supported violence suppressed African American invention during the 20th century. By tracking the patent filings of African American inventors from 1870 to 1940, the Michigan State University professor of economics and international relations showed that acts of violence have a measurable impact on innovation.