Which of these events MOST DIRECTLY highlighted racial inequality in the United States?
A.
the Glass-Steagall Act
B.
the Great Recession
C.
Hurricane Katrina
D.
Occupy Wall Street
C. Hurricane Katrina
The event that most directly highlighted racial inequality in the United States is "Hurricane Katrina" (option C).
To determine which of these events most directly highlighted racial inequality in the United States, we need to examine the impact and consequences of each event on racial disparities.
A. The Glass-Steagall Act: Passed in 1933, the Glass-Steagall Act was designed to regulate the banking industry and separate commercial and investment banking. While it had significant implications for the economy, it was not primarily focused on addressing racial inequality. Therefore, this event is less directly related to highlighting racial inequality.
B. The Great Recession: The Great Recession, which occurred between 2007 and 2009, had a profound impact on the American economy and its population. While the recession affected people of all races, it disproportionately affected marginalized communities, including communities of color. Racial disparities in employment, income, and homeownership were further exacerbated during this period. Therefore, the Great Recession indirectly highlighted racial inequality, but there were other factors at play as well.
C. Hurricane Katrina: In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of the Gulf Coast, particularly New Orleans. This event had a significant racial dimension as the predominantly African American and low-income neighborhoods were disproportionately affected and faced inadequate emergency response efforts. The slow and inadequate government response to the disaster exposed deep-rooted racial disparities in access to resources, aid, and rebuilding efforts. Consequently, Hurricane Katrina more directly highlighted racial inequality in the United States.
D. Occupy Wall Street: Occupy Wall Street, a protest movement that began in 2011, focused on income inequality, corporate greed, and social and economic injustices. While the movement highlighted the disparities in wealth distribution and income inequalities in the United States, it did not center explicitly on racial inequality. Therefore, this event is not as directly related to racial inequality.
Based on the above analysis, the event that most directly highlighted racial inequality in the United States is C. Hurricane Katrina.