The Structural Race Tax
Summary: Quantifies the 34-year penalty on Black economic mobility, showing it has intensified for younger generations.
Escalating Penalty: The mobility penalty was 24% for Baby Boomers/Gen X but escalated to a 55% "Concrete Ceiling" for Xennials.
34-Year Stall (1989–2023): Tracks median wealth growth:
o White Top 20%: Grew from $256,362 to $1,122,450 (Explosive Growth).
o Black Top 20%: Grew from $68,822 to $178,000 (Constrained Growth).
o White Bottom 20%: Grew from -$1,917 to $113,000 (Partial Ascent/False Launch).
o Black Bottom 20%: Remained stagnant, moving from $0 to $2,200 (Flatline).
Downward Volatility: Black households in Q2 have a 57% risk of falling to the bottom, compared to 22% for White households.