Richard Rothstein’s The Color of Law shatters the enduring myth that America’s racial segregation is the result of personal choices rather than intentional and systemic government actions.

The report hit a nerve. Critics accused Moynihan of blaming Black families rather than the systemic factors at play: redlining, discriminatory hiring practices, and crumbling schools. While some viewed him as a truth-teller, others saw his words as dangerously close to victim-blaming.