Race, Racism, and Baltimore’s Future: A Focus on Structural and Institutional Racism

Summary Report #SDH2016 The Fifth Annual Symposium on the Social Determinants of Health

Introduction

After the death of Freddie Gray on April 12, 2015, and Speakers participated in four panels sharing expertise on: the protests and demonstrations that shook the city 1. overcoming structural racism, soon after, Baltimore became a symbol of racial strife 2. how racism affects health, and inequity and gained the media attention of not just the United States but the entire world. This was 3. how racism, racial segregation, and the education not news for the people of Baltimore or for many of system are connected, and the organizations that work tirelessly toward positive 4. racism and policing. change in this city. To many, the death of Freddie The goals of this symposium were to: Gray did not come as a surprise. To them, inequitable 1. reiterate how salient structural racism is in the treatment of young, black men was nothing new; lives of people in Baltimore City, and it certainly was nothing that they had not heard, 2. acknowledge structural racism as a critical public witnessed, or personally experienced. With the whole health concern, and world watching, this tragedy brought determination; a 3. critically assess the changes that we can make to determination that his death was not in vain, that the reduce structural racism in our personal lives and spotlight would not go away, and that together, through in the institutions where we work. galvanized momentum, something would be done. Freddie Gray’s death and the events that followed On April 25, 2016, over 700 people came together to brought determination to the event—a determination attend the 5th annual Social Determinants of Health that his death was not in vain, that the spotlight would Symposium on Race, Racism, and Baltimore’s Future: not go away, and that together, through galvanized A Focus on Structural and Institutional Racism. The momentum, positive change would be made. symsposium was hosted by the Johns Hopkins Urban

were a diverse group from the Baltimore area and This report summarizes key lessons learned and beyond.Health Institute Twenty-one and theinvited Office speakers of Provost. ranging Attendees from challenges as discussed by the symposium speakers. Additionally, successful Baltimore City organizations community organizations spent the day in an intense are highlighted throughout. discussionresearch and of legalrace expertsand racism to leaders in Baltimore. from non-profit They participated in four panels, sharing poignant anecdotes about their personal experiences and presenting their research, all offering suggestions for ways forward.

facilitated small breakout sessions in an effort to turn discussionThis year, into for action, the first as tangible time, the goals symposium are necessary also for making progress in Baltimore.

2 #SDH2016 Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute Summary Report Race, Racism, and Baltimore’s Future: A Focus on Structural and Institutional Racism

Panel 4: Racism and Policing Disparities in policing are a symptom of structural racism

Keynote Speaker: Sherrilyn Ifill

Discussants: Deborah Peterson, President Small and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

, JD/MPP, Executive Director and Founder of Break the Chains, JHSPH David O. Fakunle, Post-Doc Fellow BA, Drug Dependence Epidemiology Training Program, Department of Moderator: Daniel W. Webster, Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ScD, MPH, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, Deputy Director for Research, Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence Historical Context for Racism and Policing

late 18th century late 1860s 1877

In the late 18th century, the In the late-1860s legislation In 1877, Jim Crow Laws were emergence of a semi-formal, was passed, starting in created in the South, which organized police force can be Mississippi and South Carolina were a series of elaborate traced to slavery, in an effort to enforce vagrancy and regulations to govern black life to control the slave labor loitering, but became known in shared public spaces, and to population that in some cases as Black Codes because despite reduce interactions between equaled or surpassed the size of being “racially neutral,” they the races.33 Formal police the master class.33 These slave essentially created a set of systems, as well as the general patrollers had the authority legal tools for continued white public, were responsible to physically punish runaway subordination of blacks to for upholding the formal and slaves, and whippings and white economic power.33 informal social order.33 extremely violent acts were not brutality was often used to uncommon.33 punish subordination.33 Police

“I struggle when I have to tell my son to bow his head, to avert his eyes, to close his mouth. He should be able to walk up to the other man and look him square in the eyes and say to him, I am James Edward Paige the third and I am not your target practice. But I have to tell him, don’t say anything son. Just come home and give me a hug and tell me about your problems and fears. But just always come home.” James E. Page

Summary Report Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute #SDH2016 3 The Fifth Annual Symposium on the Social Determinants of Health

1900-1920s 1973-1992 2010

After World Wars I and II, The War on Drugs was declared In 2010, Congress passed the there was a surge of black 1973, Fair Sentencing Act (FSA).38 and re-dedicated in 1982 by industrial cities occurred, yet as by President Nixon35 in migration to Northern the black population grew, so Although these policies are President Reagan. did tools and means of racially racially neutral on their face, 33 segregating them. racial disparities in drug- 2011 After race riots broke out between 1900-1920 federal during the war on drugs.33 related arrests intensified According to Tonry,36 in 1976 In 2011, the U.S. Sentencing 22% of individuals arrested Commission voted to policies played a significant to the suburbs and restricting by police were black and 77% retroactively apply the new role in encouraging white flight African Americans to the were white, but by , 40% 33 1992 FSA guidelines to individuals cities. of the arrests were black and sentenced before the law was This is important because 59% were white. enacted.38 legalized housing discrimination had a profound impact on the 82% of the population was police. Moreover, the police white,Notably, while during only these 12% years of the were responsible for upholding population was black.36 and enforcing these laws.33

It has been hypothesized War on Drugs included stop and that as a direct result of the frisk,Policies where implemented people could in the be housing segregation laws, racial minorities became viewed as reasonable suspicion, but were objects of law enforcement and predominantlystopped based onconducted an officer’s in social control, rather than as impoverished black and Latino citizens who are entitled to civil communities.36, 37 protections.33 These stop and frisk policies It is believed that these laws, lead to psychological violence and the environments where and increased risk of physical police were bound to uphold and sexual violence, and order “set a pattern for police arguably frayed relationships behavior and attitudes toward between civilians and police.35 minority communities that has persisted until the present day.” 34

4 #SDH2016 Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute Summary Report Race, Racism, and Baltimore’s Future: A Focus on Structural and Institutional Racism

Baltimore City Events

1942 prior to 1966 1990s

In the 1990s, Baltimore City In 1942, Thomas Broadus, 1966, African Council members instilled “zero- a black soldier was killed by tolerance policing” in Baltimore toPrior foot to patrols as they were City, which lead to mass arrests barredAmerican from officers the use were of squad limited who shot him when he ran for minor infractions and white officer, Edward Bender from him after trying to get severe “community frustration” a cab after going to see Louis quarantined in rank, barred according to Ms. Kumar of cars. These officers were Armstrong with his friends from patrolling in white American Civil Libertties 24 neighborhoods, and would Union, who was quoted in a Broadus was the second African often only be given specialty on Pennsylvania Avenue. assignments in positions titled “Baltimore’s Broken had killed, but charges were 2015 New York Times article,40 These dismissed.American that Edward Bender as undercover plainclothes “zero-tolerance policies” are in the Narcotics39 division or interrelatedRelationship with with police Police.” violence against black adolescents and officers. adults in the United States.35 1942 1968 2015 In 1942, a peaceful March in On April 4, 1968, Martin Annapolis occurred where Luther King Jr. was On April 12, 2015, Freddie more than 2,000 protesters assassinated, followed by the Gray was arrested by the convened while Carl Murphy, Baltimore riots. Lillie May Jackson, Juanita and later died in a hospital from spinalBaltimore injuries. Police Department and W.A.C. Hughes met with GovernorJackson Miller, O’Conor Edward to investigate Lewis, Two recent laws have been police administration in black passed that are hopeful for neighborhoods, and request improving police and civilian that he appointed black interactions: uniformed policemen, a black • Doubling the maximum police magistrate, and an awards in civil lawsuits by additional place policewoman.24 those injured by police.40 His response was • noncommittal; instead of doing police-involved killings in Maryland.Requiring 40 the reporting of blacks and thirteen whites to an Interracialas asked, he Commission appointed five to Study

24 Problems Affecting the Colored Population.

Summary Report Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute #SDH2016 5 The Fifth Annual Symposium on the Social Determinants of Health

Current Status in United States, Maryland, and Baltimore City

Unfair Interactions by Police Because Civilians Killed by Police in Maryland of Race – Results from a National Poll and Baltimore City In a poll of a nationally representative sample of 1,951 According to this same database,42 between 2014-2015, there were 15 civilians killed by police in Maryland. Twelve of these (11 male, 1 female) were black civilians theyadults had conducted had an “unfair” by CNN dealing in October with police of 2015, in the one past in and 3 (all male) were white. All of the white civilians month.five blacks By (19%), comparison, and 17% only of 3%Hispanics of whites reported said that were armed, yet the three African American were not.43 they had been treated unfairly.5 When asked whether While there are various hypotheses as to why this is the they believed that the American criminal justice system case, a plausible conclusion is that police fear is greater treats whites and blacks equally, only 38% of whites, when the civilian involved is not white. 29% of Hispanics, and 9% of blacks said yes. When In March of 2015, the American Civil Liberties Union asked the same question but whether whites and (ACLU) of Maryland published a report on deaths in Hispanics were treated equally in the criminal justice police encounters in Maryland between 2010-2014.44 system, only 41% of whites, 28% of Hispanics, and 12% During these years it was reported that at least 109 5 of blacks agreed. people died in police encounters, and that out of the citizens of color experience discrimination or unfair 17 counties, 28% (31) occurred in Baltimore City. These findings suggest that many treatment at the hands of police. Sixty-nine percent (75) of the total deaths were black and forty-one percent (45) were unarmed. The most

Civilians Killed by Police Nationally of unarmed black civilians who died (36) was greater thanstartling the findingnumber ofof thiswhites report who was died that (30), the armed number or not44. After controlling for the size of black and white theAccording United to States. the Washington Although Post,approximately between 2014-2015, 13.3 % of population, it was found that unarmed 10 black people the990 U.S. people population were shot is African and killed American, by a 41police black officer civilians in died for every unarmed white person who died. 42 accounted for 40% (258) of police deaths. There were 492 who were white. Civilians killed by police tended Disparities in Homicide Mortality in to172 be civilian armed deaths (783 whohad awere deadly identified weapon), as Hispanic mentally and ill Baltimore City by Race generally on foot (approximately 25%). Although the In 2013, homicide was the cause of 5.1 per 100,000 45 majority(250 had of signs individuals of mental killed illness), by police and/or were were white fleeing, (492 deaths nationwide. In 2012, the homicide rate in deaths), only 32 white individuals, or approximately 7% Maryland was 7.0 per 100,000, compared to 33.6 per of these individuals were unarmed. This is in contrast with 36% (93) of black men who were unarmed.42 higher. Black men have the highest homicide mortality in100,000 the city deaths with 100.6 in Baltimore deaths per City, 100,000 nearly fiveresidents, times As of August 29, so far in 2016, a total of 622 people which is 11.67 times higher than the homicide rate for 43 have been shot and killed by police nationwide. white males, at only 8.6 per 100,000 residents.14

substantialAccording toincrease Vital Signs in homicides 14, on Crime in the and city. Safety In 2014, and therethe Baltimore was a total City of Police 211 homicides,Department, which there rose has tobeen 344 a homicides in 2015.3a In 2014, the neighborhoods with the largest number of homicides were Southwest

Arlington/HilltopBaltimore (14), Cedonia/Frankford (10).3a (11), Southern Park Heights (11), Dorchester/Ashburton (10), and Pimlico/

6 #SDH2016 Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute Summary Report Race, Racism, and Baltimore’s Future: A Focus on Structural and Institutional Racism

High Crime Neighborhoods in Narrative from Sandtown-Winchester Baltimore Face Substantial Deprivation Unequal Protection A recent analysis was conducted by Gomez, published An analysis of incident reports, interviews, and in 2016,46 on policing, community fragmentation, and testimonials of police misconduct as told by citizens public health in Baltimore City. Her analysis of six living in Sandtown-Winchester published by the high police activity neighborhoods including Clifton/ of distrust and unfair treatment. After the death of FreddieNo Boundaries Gray and Coalition, the subsequent reveals protests, detailed residents reports Berea, Madison/East End, Oldtown/ Middle East, of Sandtown-Winchester discussed differential levels areSandtown-Winchester, predominantly African Southern American, Park Heights,have some and of police protection, and a notable number of foot ofPimlico, the worst indicated indicators that theseof deprivation. neighborhoods, Six of whichthese patrols to protecting areas such as the Inner Harbor far neighborhoods in Baltimore city are ranked in the in excess of that in Sandtown. The interpretation was articulated by one neighborhood resident: “The city socioeconomic indicators of depravation (households was pretty much saying Sandtown doesn’t matter; the earningworst quintiles less than 4th $25,000; and 5th population – on four over out age of the25 with five Black neighborhood can burn. They were protecting less than a high school diploma; gun-related homicide the white people, the richer people. Made it clear to me rate per 1000; percent of adult population on probation). that even though we have a Black Mayor, Baltimore is still a very racist city.” for infant mortality and life expectancy.46 Additionally, five out of six ranked in the worst quintile According to a 2016 report by Milam et al,47 two Unequal Treatment communities in Baltimore stand out due to their high In this same report, the War on Drugs was discussed by Sandtown residents as creating an “us against them” homicides or shootings per 100,000 residents and Southwestviolence. Specifically, Baltimore Parkat 180 Heights per 100,000 has a rateresidents. of 16047 and invasively when policing drugs. In discussions of These numbers are staggering by any measure. policementality strategies where and police tactics, officers and out acted of 57 aggressively interviews,

unwarranted (not prompted by a legitimate public safetykey informants crime), and identified 86% as 67%excessive of the(resulted stops in asa response disproportionate to what they expected or was necessary). During stops, informants described physical violence (96%), long periods of detention “Had Freddie Gray lived, (46%), and abusive, demeaning, or subordinating what were his chances for a language (57%). The report explained that this created a “cycle of antagonism, recrimination and resentment.”48 full and filled life? There are other Freddie Grays out there Changing Help-Seeking Behaviors that we are not talking about, According to research by Freudenberg et al,49 for some populations who have experienced excessive violence simply because they are alive. or coercion at the hands of police, it changes help But we have not been asking seeking behaviors. In particular, it may cause hesitation to summon police assistance in cases of civilian-on- what their lives would have been civilian violence, because there is a fear that the police like.” could escalate the situation.50 This has public health consequences for safety and has an impact on health in Sherrilyn Ifill Baltimore City. Ultimately, if black Americans know that that policies have racial bias, they can become deeply disillusioned by their current situation and according to Bobo and Thompson, “undermine a readiness for positive engagement with the police in the court.”50

Summary Report Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute #SDH2016 7 The Fifth Annual Symposium on the Social Determinants of Health

Lessons Learned

• We must work together to improve • Black lives matter in life, not just in racism in policing. death. The death of Freddie Grey was a topic that arose discussion. David Fakunle asserted that sometimes and was discussed by the panelists often. The main peoplePanelists become discussed defensive the need when for discussing open and honestracism sentiment was that Freddie’s life should have been because they don’t want to be seen as a racist. important before he was killed. Only seeing black He said how we must try to relate to each other, lives as worthy of action in their death is a very understand each other’s point of view, and be painful message for African Americans and people accepting of ourselves when we make mistakes. of color and is dangerous for well-being, health, and Understanding our differences allows us to see internalized racism. humanity in one another and see others as worthy of kindness and respect. Ultimately. we must not be afraid to bring our biases to light, as it is the • Police brutality and an unequal only way we can learn from each other. After all, justice system is about a failure to panelists agreed that racism is bad for everyone, not just people of color. We cannot be a fully functioning, see humanity in others. diverse, multicultural, thriving community when Although it was emphasized that we must focus on racism is present. changing the systems that allow racism in policing to occur, it was also emphasized by panelists that we must remember to put a face to the work that • When investigating inequity in we are doing. We must not lose touch of why we are police treatment, people are asking seeking to change policy, because ultimately it is the people that we are changing. As David O. Fakunle the wrong questions. stated: “We need to acknowledge our differences and the differences in our experiences… in that, we and largely in the death of unarmed black men at can recognize our humanity. Sometimes we lose Sherrilyn Ifill discussed how in the moment of crisis, touch of this when we think about policies and laws because we are thinking about what we have the hands of police, people become fixated on what to put on paper.” deliberatelyshe believes tochoose be the towrong treat questions. someone Thoughdifferently Ifill becausebelieves of that their focusing race is on important moments to where call out, officers she argued that what is more important is focusing on the broader social, political, and organizational cues “Some of the best allies that I have ever had in my life were to understand the circumstances that led to the deaththat instruct of Freddie the officer’s Grey, including actions. understandingYes, it is important the people that did not know (about their personal biases) and it was him, but she also calls on us to understand the lack ofactions opportunities of the police that Freddie officers Grey who had interacted for housing, with not about putting them down, employment, and schooling. it was about teaching them and making them learn. I don’t blame you - you have been taught just how I have been taught. So let me show you.” David O. Fakunle

8 #SDH2016 Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute Summary Report Race, Racism, and Baltimore’s Future: A Focus on Structural and Institutional Racism

Challenges Examples of Successful • There is sometimes innaccurate Baltimore Organizations portrayal of people of color in • No Boundaries Coalition has brought together media. community members from Sandtown, Druid Heights, Bolton Hill to address issues in racial and economic internalized by even our youngest members. Images segregationUpton, Madison in Baltimore Park, Penn City. North, Reservoir Hill, and andRacism ideas is of embedded black inferiority in American and white culture superiority and is www.noboundariescoalition.com are commonplace in American culture and are perpetuated in almost every form of media. Thus, our society embeds within us a culture of racism, • Safe Streets is a Baltimore City Health Department which leads to bias, stigma, and stereotyping.20 community engagement program that utilizes community mediators to intervene in potentially violent situations to reduce violent crime before • There is a need for more data police have to respond. http://health.baltimorecity.gov/safestreets around police-involved killings. • Baltimore Racial Justice Action is a Baltimore City occurs when police harm people. Although there organization that works against racism and other Panelists discussed the lack of transparency that has been substantial community mobilization and forms of institutional oppression through consulting, commitment to making the facts known about the coaching, and assistance to organizations and the current status of police interactions in Baltimore community. City, there continues to be a glaring lack of data and www.bmoreantiracist.org evidence on police interactions or deaths at hands of police.

• The black community does not trust the police and they are afraid.

his fear in raising a black male child in today’s society.In a powerful He discusses personal how narrative, he has Dr. been Page followed discusses in stores and had guns pointed at him by police. Dr.

fears are not unique to him, but rather a common AfricanPage’s narrativeAmerican helpsexperience. us understand that these “The myth of black inferiority and the myth of white superiority has caused structural trauma, • Police brutality and oppression are traumatizing for the black it has caused economic trauma, community. mental trauma, and psychological In discussions about police brutality and oppression trauma. And we really don’t for African Americans and people of color, panelists emphasize that enough.” discussed the negative mental and physical health impacts that result from the cumulative and David O. Fakunle unpredictable trauma that occurs from unfair treatment.

Summary Report Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute #SDH2016 9 Who we are Established in 2000, the UHI serves as an interface between Johns Hopkins University and the Baltimore community in which it resides. Together with its university and community partners, the UHI explores ways that the research, teaching, and clinical expertise of the University can be better harnessed for the benefit of the residents of Baltimore.

Our Mission To serve as a catalyst that brings together the resources of Johns Hopkins Institutions with the City of Baltimore, to improve the community’s health and well-being, and in so doing serve as a model of community-university collaboration regionally and nationally.

We would like to acknowledge the contributions from the Community-University Coordinating Council and community planning meeting participants in helping to shape the symposium.

Author: Alicia Vooris, MSPH Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health LIKE US ON FACEBOOK /UrbanHealthInstitute FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @JHUrbanHealth WATCH US ON YOUTUBE @UrbanHealthInst SEND US AN EMAIL [email protected]