Black Wealth: The often-cited figure of $21 trillion, highlighted by economists like William Darity and Kirsten Mullen, represents an estimate of the reparations owed for centuries of slavery and systemic discrimination — not just a number from a 2015 study. Recent research reveals the staggering economic toll of systemic racism on the U.S. economy. A 2020 Citigroup study, drawing from multiple data sources, estimates that racial inequality has slashed U.S. GDP by roughly $16 trillion over the l