Jackson’s Water Crisis Exposes Decades of Inequality

A water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, has spotlighted systemic neglect in one of the U.S.'s Black-majority cities. After floods crippled the city's main water treatment plant in August 2022, residents faced undrinkable tap water and crumbling infrastructure—a problem locals say is rooted in generations of racial inequality.

'This isn’t just a broken pipe—it’s a broken promise,' says Margaret Simons, a lifelong Jackson resident. She points to neighborhoods largely inhabited by Black and brown communities where infrastructure upgrades have lagged for over a century. NBC News linked the crisis to historical patterns of racist exploitation, calling it a 'case study in institutional neglect.'

With 83% of Jackson’s population identifying as Black, the crisis has reignited debates about environmental racism and underfunded public services. For young activists, it’s a rallying cry: 'True America' must address its hidden inequalities.

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'Finding True America': Jackson resident says city is in a shambles

cgtn.com